


Family Albums

by KeelieThompson1



Series: And every tale condemns me [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2016-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 04:09:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 48,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2533658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeelieThompson1/pseuds/KeelieThompson1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Off shoots from the series of the boy's growing up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> This picks up quickly after 'Made with Blood, Sweat and Tears' so Jamie is 6 and Adam is 10.

"Why are you in here?" Adam complained.

Adam always complained. Peeking up at him from underneath Adam's bed, Jamie lay his chin on his hands. "Why are you here?" he asked.

Adam's chin jutted out in that way that Steve's did. "It's my room."

"Exactly," Jamie decided, wriggling back under as he tried to search for the candy bar he'd hidden there a few weeks ago. Adam didn't like peanut butter so it seemed silly to think that Adam would have eaten it. It was meant to be safe.

Jamie yelped as Adam caught his foot and started to drag him out. Flailing and half kicking at his brother, Jamie glared as the he was pulled out enough that he could see Adam's scowling face and the ceiling above him.

"You have your own room," Adam complained.

"That doesn't have candy in it," Jamie whined.

"Threw it away," Adam declared in what Jamie thought was far too happy a tone. "My room isn't your candy cupboard."

That should be a thing. He should tell Tony…Dad and that would be a thing.

Jamie was still getting used to that word. It was cool to have Tony as his Dad too. Because he called Tony Dad it meant that he could go on holiday.

Adam didn't call Tony Dad so he couldn't go.

"My Dad would like the idea," Jamie said, trying the phrase on for size.

Something crossed Adam's face and he yanked Jamie's sneakers off his foot then threw them at Jamie's face.

"Ow," Jamie whined, trying to turn out of the path of the projected missiles. "Stop," he hissed, trying to kick Adam with his feet.

"Then get out," Adam sneered.

Jamie's only possible course of action was to tug the bed spread off the bed and throw what he could back at Adam before he found his own sneakers and hurled them back at Adam.

So Adam bent over and lifted Jamie up. Being little completely sucked and Jamie wriggled as best he could, his feet and fists flailing.

Adam dropped him and Jamie cracked his head on the edge of the bed.

The scream that bubbled from him came more from shock than actual pain. Clutching at his head, Jamie glared up at Adam as soon as he remembered who was to blame for the situation.

"What's going on?" Clint asked as he came rushing in.

"Adam threw me into the bed," Jamie sniffed.

Clint turned to Adam who opened his mouth in protest. "He shouldn't be in here," Adam complained. "It's my room."

"This is not my life," Clint murmured, leaning against the door frame. "Booby trap your door then."

That could be cool, trying to get past those. Jamie pulled his hands down and reached for the bed sheet that had got a little bit tangled around him and then frowned when his hands left a patchy red mark.

Curious, he tapped at the pain in his head and looked at his fingers that were now a bit shiny with blood.

"-not fair. It's my room and he's not even being told off," Adam was hissing. "My Dad wouldn't tell me off."

Clint actually thudded his head against the wall. "This vacation cannot come soon enough," he huffed. "We've talked about your strength-"

Bored by their conversation, Jamie held up his hand. "Look," he announced, waving his hand. "I'm bleeding."

They both switched their attention straight back to him and Clint moved quickly, kneeling down bedside Jamie to comb careful fingers through his hair.

"Ow," Jamie mumbled when Clint touched a sensitive bit.

"You need to be more careful," Clint said in a hard tone. For a moment, Jamie scowled believing it was aimed at him but when Adam stepped back looking slightly pale, Jamie realised it wasn't him being told off, it was Adam.

"He kicked me," Adam muttered but he didn't sound quite so mad anymore.

"Oh well, in that case," Clint said in a way that was probably not him actually congratulating Adam. He picked Jamie up and it was always nice getting hugs. Sometimes he didn't get them as much because Tony was now his Dad and that meant that Tony was meant to be the main one doing it when he wasn't busy like he was at the moment.

Enjoying the affection, Jamie leaned his head onto Clint's shoulder and stared down at Adam, pleased with the height difference.

"There you are," Clint said. "Your room, back to being empty," he added as he strode them out of Adam's room.

"I wanted my candy," Jamie confessed as Clint strode with him into the main seating area.

"Why did you put it there?" Clint asked sounding baffled.

"Adam doesn't like it," Jamie explained seriously.

He got one of those looks that more and more people gave him, as if his logic wasn't clear which was just silly.

"So you looking forward to going to the beach?" Clint asked as he sat them down on the couch, Jamie swung around so that he was sitting on Clint's lap facing the screen.

"How do they get all the water there?" Jamie asked. He'd seen pictures of the beach before but he wasn't really sure it wasn't pretend like some of Steve's sketches were. He wriggled when Clint started to look through his hair again.

There was a long sigh. "It's always been there. It's just how the world is. Some of it's water and some of it's earth."

"And labs," Jamie added.

Clint was silent which usually meant he was thinking something different to Jamie. "You haven't answered the question," Clint pointed out.

Oh, right. "Yeah," Jamie said nodding. "And Ton-…Dad said we could sky Adam."

"Skype," Clint corrected absently. "You need to think about how you would feel though, if you were being left behind."

Jamie wriggled around. "I'll be good," he promised, horrified at the idea. "I'll go say sorry-"

"I was talking about Adam."

"Adam wants to stay with his Dad," Jamie said, wrinkling his nose because Clint was usually much cleverer than that. "Tony isn't his Dad, he's mine."

Clint leaned back and stared at him for a long time. "Do you like it when people remind you that Bucky isn't your Dad?"

"Bucky's stupid," Jamie muttered, hunching up at the mention of the man and trying to snuggle into Clint.

"Yeah," Clint mumbled into his hair. "Massively so."

Xxx

"Bringing home the bacon," Tony announced as he walked in the room with pizza boxes in his hand.

"Yeah, that gets funnier every time," Natasha sighed as she put plates on the table. Jamie followed her round, trying to work out where everyone would sit from the way she laid out the table.

"Where's Thor going to sit?" Jamie asked, clambering up on a chair to study the table better.

"Kid, your welcome home is touching," Tony complained. "No pizza for you."

"Tony," Bruce sighed, rubbing at his head.

"No," Jamie whined, leaping down from the chair and dashing at Tony. "I want pizza," he whined, trying to climb up Tony's body. Thankfully, the man scooped him up at sat him on hip.

"Let's see the bump," Tony asked, the pizza boxes on the side table as he rearranged Jamie so he could see into Jamie's hair. It did mean that Jamie could bury his face in Tony's shoulder and smell the familiar aftershave and rub his cheek against the stiff collar.

"I don't like this," Jamie announced pulling back to tap at Tony's tie.

"The tie or the colour?"

Jamie screwed up his nose and pressed at the tie, curious because he could sort of remember how Tony tightened it in the mornings.

"Hello squirt number one," Tony said over Jamie's shoulder. "Any war wound from the epic bedroom battle?"

"I got him with a sneaker," Jamie told Tony solemnly.

"I'm fine," Adam said in a terse tone. Twisting, Jamie tried to see Adam's face but by the time he had managed to shift in Tony's hold Adam was heading over to the table to help Natasha.

Tony seemed to sigh and rubbed Jamie's arm. "You need to respect your brother's privacy," he scolded gently.

"But my candy was in there."

"Then don't put it in there," Tony replied absently. "Steve? You bringing up the rest?"

The rest?

Jamie turned in time to see that Steve was carrying a massive pile of pizza boxes.

"That's bigger than me," he told Tony.

"That's probably just enough to feed Thor and Steve."

Wow. That was so cool.

Jamie moved to wriggle down but Tony kept hold of him, walking around and placing Jamie on the counter by the bar as he poured himself a drink.

"Can I have some?"

Tony eyed him suspiciously. "What would you like?"

Awesome. Jamie peered over at all the different coloured bottles thoughtfully as Tony went for a brown drink. Leaning over, he smelled Tony's drink and stuck out his tongue.

In the end he picked up a tiny bottle of coca-cola.

By that point, Tony was grinning at him and pressed a kiss to Jamie's hair. "You go carefully with that," he said sounding amused.

Jamie nodded very seriously. "Do you think Thor will like this?" he asked.

"Thor likes beer."

"Can I have one of those then?"

Tony flickered a glance at him. "Why do you care what Thor will or won't like?"

Jamie stared at Tony with horror. "He's God," he whispered to Tony.

Tony's lips twitched and then twitched a bit more as his mouth spasmed in a weird way.

Then he laughed. A full belly laugh that had him doubled over and Jamie glared at the back of Tony's head feeling a little peeved.

"What's tickling you?" Bruce asked.

"Semantics," Tony called as he stood back up. Bruce flashed a grin at whatever that word meant and Jamie kicked his feet back against the cupboard in some annoyance. "Kid…he is a god, not God."

Behind him Clint snorted into laughter and even Natasha covered her face. Steve paused in what he was doing and titled his head to the side, a fond smile crossing his face slowly.

Jamie chewed on that for a moment. "The shouty woman on the screen says that only heathens have more than one god. I don't think we're heathens. It didn't sound good."

"You need to monitor what he watches," Bruce said as he took a sip of expensive water that tasted the same as tap water because water was water.

The more Jamie thought about it, the more he thought it was them being stupid. "But even if he isn't our God he still can…" what was the word the woman used? "…smite us?"

"He wishes," Tony said lifting Jamie again. "Last time I went toe to toe with him it was a draw."

Tony had gone head to head with God?

That was so awesome.

"Last time who went head to head with him?" Steve asked, spreading the pizza's in their boxes over the table.

"You were there," Tony admitted. "You broke us up."

"Steve broke up your fight with God?" Jamie asked in awe, not too sure who came out of that as the most impressive.

"Kid-"

"Don't worry," Bruce said as he tapped Jamie's nose. "It won't last longer than the first ten minutes he spends in Thor's company."

"Really?" Sam asked as he stepped over with a beer in his hand. "Because I saw how much that guy ate last time. You tellin' me that those kids won't be more impressed by how much pizza he has."

"They've seen Steve eat."

"Hey," Steve protested as he gave Adam a clap of approval on the shoulder. "Well done for helping," he added to Adam.

Helping was boring. "When can we start eating?" Jamie asked.

"When everyone's here," Tony said softly. "And you remember who is coming?"

Jamie could practically feel the sneaky glances that everyone gave him because Thor was coming and Jane (who was his girlfriend) and also Bucky was.

"Mm," Jamie mumbled, plucking at Tony's tie again. "Can I sit with you?" he asked in a pleading tone.

Tony didn't reply but he did grab a seat and let Jamie sit on his lap. "I hate senators," Tony muttered as he placed his drink on the table.

"They hate you too," Clint said cheerfully, throwing himself into a seat. "Especially when you call them all…" he hesitated and looked at Jamie and then at Adam. "Are we really trying this whole swear jar thing?"

"We are," Tony said firmly. "Because she banned me from just shoving a hundred in there and being done for the day," he said with a fierce jab of his hand at Natasha.

That was brave. Jamie watched wide-eyed as Natasha looked at Tony's finger and then raised an eyebrow. "Really, Stark?" she asked in that cool tone of hers.

"Maybe not," Tony said, pulling his hand down. "But senators are…pizza haters."

What? Jamie looked at Tony in horror. "Why?" he asked.

He had no idea why it made Tony laugh but it did. Then his hands tightened around Jamie and pulled him slightly closer. "So kid, what did you do today?"

"Learned about numbers," Jamie announced proudly. "I can take away from twenty."

"Huh."

Tony didn't sound that impressed.

"He's a year ahead," Bruce said as he walked by.

"Go champ," Tony said, suddenly way more enthused. "I'll buy you a car if you get four years ahead."

Steve sat opposite and pinched the bridge of his nose. "That would be illegal, Tony. He can't drive until-"

"Buy you a space ship then," Tony replied seemingly unconcerned. "Those don't have legal limits on them, Cap."

"I want a space ship," Jamie said solemnly.

It was rare that he properly caught Steve's eye but, just for a second, Captain America smiled down at him as if tickled by what Jamie said. "I bet you do," he said with a wink.

That seemed settled then. Pleased with how things were going, Jamie studied the sauces they had on the table, trying to work out which one to go for first and-

Beyond the sauces he could see Bucky was sat by Adam.

It was confusing. Tony was way better than Bucky was and Tony was funnier and cooler and richer and cleverer and nicer and every other 'er' word that Jamie could think of. But it wasn't fair because Tony was still nice to Adam and looked after him and called him number one while Bucky was just plain mean to Jamie.

Adam should have at least picked a nice Dad like Jamie had.

"Tilt your head back," Tony said suddenly, his voice a bit sharper than usual. Trusting the man, Jamie tipped his head back so that he was staring at the ceiling and grinning up at Tony.

Tony was rubbing something between his fingers and then tossed it up in the air, aiming Jamie's face to see if he could catch it in his mouth.

It hit him in the nose and Jamie let out a delighted shriek. "I wanna do it on my own," he demanded, sitting up properly and trying to prise the cheese that Tony was rolling into small balls out of the man's hands.

"How old are you?" Steve sighed at Tony.

"How old are you?" Tony replied waspishly before twisting around with Jamie. "Right. Get this in and I'll add a hundred to that car account."

"Can it be a spaceship account?" Jamie asked hopefully as he planted his feet shoulder width apart.

"You do realise this means the swear jars useless with him?" Clint was demanding. "He can't just-"

"You wanna make it more?" Sam asked from somewhere, sounding amused. Jamie tossed the cheese up and huffed as it went no-where near his mouth.

"I wanna make it fair," Clint said sounding peeved.

"How about every time Tony swears he has to compliment a senator?" Natasha suggested sweetly.

It was enough to make Tony pause where he was holding cheese balls out for Jamie and turn to glare at the woman. "And you can pay the amount that nought point one percent of my company was worth before you got internet happy."

There was an awkward moment that Jamie winced at and pushed into Tony to remind him that they were trying to catch cheese balls with their mouths.

"Excellent," a booming voice from the door way declared. "There is pizza."

The voice was so loud that Jamie scrambled into Tony's lap and then peered cautiously over his shoulder to stare at the blond giant that had appeared in their doorway.

"It's good to see you again," Steve said, standing and walking over to clasps hands with the huge man.

"I hear we have progeny now," the man said happily, glancing at Adam and then at Jamie. "With impressive reflexes I see," he added with a wink at Jamie.

Tony was trying to untangle Jamie's grip from his shirt. "Great timing," the man muttered.

There was a slight narrowed look from the man that made it seem as if he knew more than Tony did. "The tall, blond one must be the eldest," he said striding forward. "I hear you have the makings of an impressive warrior."

Adam blinked and then grinned, glancing at Clint and Steve as if delighted, then at Bucky who was smiling.

A little bit.

But he was smiling.

Jamie hunched his shoulders suddenly terrified as to what the man (who was probably Thor) was going to say about him. He wasn't a warrior or brave and he didn't make Bucky smile.

He was normal.

A gentle hand cupped his chin and Tony's brown eyes stared down at him for a moment of two before the man sighed and lifted Jamie again.

"Are you-"

"Give me a sec with him," Tony said over his shoulder as he took Jamie out to the balcony.

Outside was quiet and calm and the door slid shut to block out the conversation. It was a little bit cold as Tony put Jamie down and sat on the floor so he was smaller than Jamie.

Tony didn't say anything, just stared at Jamie as if he had writing on his face in a really small print that Tony needed to watch for ages just to try and work out what was hidden within. Then he lifted his hand to indicate he needed a minute and walked back inside.

He was on his own.

Unsure, Jamie stepped over to the flower pot that had nothing inside and bit at his lip, not sure what to do. Maybe the party was for special people and Tony had just realised-

Tony came back out with a pizza box and Jamie's tiny coca-cola bottle.

"Think that might be a bit too much for you at the moment," he said gently as he sat down on the floor again.

"I'm not weak."

Tony's hand paused over the pizza box. The muscles in his jaw twitched and he slowly raised his eyes to Jamie.

"No-one said you were," he said firmly.

Good. But Jamie sighed as he stared down at the pizza and then up at Tony.

"I'm not special though," he added slowly, keeping his gaze on Tony to check how the man reacted.

The wind raced around them, flapping at Tony's hair and jacket as the man dipped his pizza in the sauce. "Neither am I," Tony said in a strange voice. "I'm just wickedly clever," he added with a grin. "And Natasha and Clint are in the team because of the things they trained to do."

But…"Training's boring," Jamie confessed as he slowly picked up a slice and nibbled at the topping.

"Yeah," Tony agreed. "Can be." He seemed to pull away from the topic. "So which car should we drive when we get to Malibu?"

That was a very important question. "But the cars will be here," Jamie said tipping his head back so that the cheese slid into his mouth.

"Have a look through," Tony offered, sliding a StarkPadd across to Jamie.

"Which is the fastest one?"

"Kid, it isn't always about speed."

It wasn't? Doubtfully, Jamie tilted his head to the side. "But going fast is fun," he announced seriously.

"When we start talking about girls or boys…or both then we really need to correct that," Tony said eyeing up what was left of Jamie's pizza slice. "And how not to make your dates run screaming from the way you eat."

"Girls are stupid," Jamie decided because the three he'd seen in the park when Bruce had taken him hadn't liked the idea of jumping off the monkey bars. "Dresses are silly," he added seriously thinking back to how one girl had complained about hers because she couldn't get it dirty.

Behind them the doors pulled open and the giant man that was probably Thor stepped out.

"I see you have created your own party," he said sounding amused as he sat by Tony. "This must be the littlest Stark."

"Not…" Jamie hesitated because to say he wasn't little was kind of a lie. Not sure what to do he bit at his thumb and turned his gaze on Tony.

"Yeah," Tony said holding out his arm. Jamie scrambled over and ducked under it, clambering onto Tony and leaving faint red marks where he touched the man's shirt. "Did you lose Jane on your way here?"

"I lost her to your Pepper Potts," Thor said with a rueful shake of his head as he reached for a pizza slice. "They are currently discussing footwear and a conference about the effects of chemical substances on genetic coding-"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Yeah, 'cause we need are more conversations about that," he said, stroking Jamie's arm carefully.

Jamie knew what that meant. "A lab made me," he told Thor seriously.

"There are many things that make a man," Thor said with a shake of his head. "And it is pleasing to hear your voice littlest Stark."

Jamie really wasn't sure that he liked the nickname but Tony seemed to smile at it as if pleased by something so Jamie hesitated to say anything.

"Most people say I talk too much," Jamie murmured. Tony rumbled underneath him as if amused. "Adam always says that."

Something strange crossed Thor's face as he watched Jamie and he frowned a little. "Older brothers always try to seem more in charge," he said slowly. "It does not mean that we wish to be cruel to our younger sibling."

"Are you a big brother?"

"Jamie," Tony said softly as if to warn.

"I am," Thor said as Tony spoke. "I was not a very good one I fear."

"Did you throw away your brother's candy bar too?" Jamie asked.

"I…I did something similar."

Oh. "That's not nice."

Thor flinched and Tony made a noise behind Jamie as if to say something.

A candy bar came whizzing past his head and thudded on the flower pot.

"You said you threw it in the trash," Jamie yelped, diving for the bar.

"You hid it in my room," Adam huffed standing in the door way. "I told you to stop going in my room."

"What about Mario Kart?"

Adam paused and tilted his head and then shrugged and nodded.

Jamie scampered up then turned back to grab a slice of pizza. After a moment's thought he piled another slice on top of the first one and then another so that he had three precariously balanced.

Then he ran back to the door.

Tony.

Huffing he spun back around and placed an awkward hug to the man's neck and turned to go after Adam because his brother would so start the game without Jamie in the room.

But…

"Can you give the candy back to your brother?" Jamie asked Thor.

Thor had the starts of a grin on his face that fell suddenly. He seemed to shake his head at Tony and smiled in a way that didn't quite look right. "You have a very good big brother," Thor said with a nod. "I wish you luck beating him at this Mario Kart game."

"Adam's crap at Mario Kart."

"Swear jar," Clint called from inside. "Pay up with candy, kid."

That was so not fair.


	2. Vacation

"Are you going to say goodbye to Adam?" Tony asked his son.

His son.

His son who, at the moment, blinked up at him with sleepy eyes from the cocoon of blankets that he was currently wrapped in, hair standing up like a hedgehog's because everyone knew that the boy never stayed still even when sleeping.

The yawn was cute. Tony had never woken Jamie up at five in the morning before (mainly because hey, getting up at five? So not gonna happen on his end. Working through until five? Yeah, partying until five? Hell yeah but actually getting up for it? Hell no).

He might have to do it a few more times though because damn was the kid cute when he wasn't really with it.

Adam on the other hand had blinked awake quickly and was sat up in bed looking nervous but determined. It was the first time that they'd split the boys up because Bucky Barnes apparently thought that taking Adam on holiday was the same as kidnapping him.

Of course, Steve had whined on about poor Bucky Barnes and how unfair it had been to Barnes losing Adam and that he was still sensitive about people taking the kid away.

Still weird. It made Tony feel like he was playing favourites but he needed to go to see how the new house was getting on in Malibu and make a few modifications. It would only be a few days but-

Damn it, he was not feeling bad about taking his kid with him.

"You awake?" Tony asked Adam, running a hand through the feathered blond hair.

Adam nodded. "Are you going now?" he asked sounding oddly young.

"Yeah," Tony said, pulling Adam close. "Remember what I said. Phone, skype, don't care, you do it when you want to. Give me a break from this little one."

For once Jamie didn't pull a face at being called little which probably meant he was asleep.

"Will you look after him?" Adam asked seriously.

With anyone else, Tony would have either snapped because everyone seemed to think that he might decide to feed Jamie a diet or bourbon and vodka and let him play with condom balloons or something. With Adam…

"Promise."

Adam still didn't look happy and Tony could have strangled fucking Bucky Barnes for the thousandth time. Or at least set his arm to malfunction because that was more likely and would probably annoy the man more.

"He'll be safe with me," Tony said, puling Adam as close as he could so that both the boys were gathered to his chest. Jamie, completely oblivious, made a disapproving rumbling noise at the sensation. "And you have to promise me to keep yourself happy," Tony added to Adam's hair.

"I want to come."

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Damn Barnes to…well…was back to Hydra too strong?

"Your…" God this was going to hurt. "Your Dad wants to spend time with you. He's been looking forward to it." Well, the man had almost flashed a smile yesterday when Sam had mentioned it. "We can all go together next time."

And Tony would fight Barnes tooth and nail to get it done.

How was this his life? He was playing divorced parents with the man who had killed his parents.

Great.

Adam physically slumped and Tony kept holding him, stroking at his hair to try and soothe the boy and reassure him that he was wanted. Needed. Because damn, Tony was going to have to keep Jamie entertained for five days.

Maybe he hadn't thought this through. Just him and Jamie…and contractors and two business meetings that had already been told a six year old would be coming.

Maybe Pepper should be there for the whole time.

Jamie made another unimpressed noise and turned. Before Tony knew what was happening, Jamie had turned into Adam and the boys were curled up around each other in a way that made Tony want to grab a camera and become one of those parents that he usually hated.

"Give me a moment," Tony said, pressed a last kiss to Adam's hair and then bending to see Jamie's face which was slack with sleep, a thumb pressed against his lips.

Striding out of the room he made his way down to the floor that Barnes and Steve shared. Unsurprisingly the two freaks of nature were up with the sun and it looked as if they'd already been in the gym, beating each other to slightly less than a pulp than usual.

"Tony," Steve greeted when Barnes scowled and folded his arms, as if he already knew what was coming. "I thought you planned to be gone by now."

Yeah. "Adam wants to come."

Steve's face fell and he winced, scrubbing at his face. Bucky let out a sneer and shook his head. "Stop trying to bribe my kid," he snarled.

"Oh look, it's Mr 'Life is all about me'," Tony sneered back. "I have a house. It's on the beach. I need to go and check it out. I want to take my-"

Shit.

Barnes squared his shoulders. "My?" he queried in a dangerous tone.

"Boys," Tony finished because hey, damned if he did and damned if he didn't. "They've never been to a beach. Why can't you let him have a few days-"

"He is not leaving this building without me."

"What do you think I'm gonna do? Sell him for parts?" Tony yelled.

"Guys," Steve said sounding weary.

"Wouldn't put it past you," Barnes said, stepping closer. "I've read your files."

"I've read yours," Tony snapped, refusing to back down.

The metal hand thudded into the wall behind Tony. "Don't you dare ever threaten me with that," Barnes said tightly. "You are not taking my son-"

"No, just the one you don't want."

Barnes swung at him. The blow was enough to make Tony see sparks and he felt his neck twinge from the force of it. Licking the inside of his cheek, Tony spat out the blood where his cheek had been cut on his teeth.

Steve had pulled Barnes back and had tossed him across the room. "Tony, just go," Steve said, gaze locked with Barnes.

"Right, stick up for him-"

"Even Adam will work out what's happened."

It was the first time Tony saw Barnes falter as if suddenly realising exactly how that was going to go down. And Tony wasn't gonna lie for the man nor take the blame for him.

With a sneered smile, Tony spun on his heel and walked out.

Didn't really feel like a win though.

xxxx

Tony was holding his hand really, really tight. Like the way he would if he was in his metal suit. A little bored by the conversation, Jamie swung, using the solid grip as an anchor point. Rocking back and forth, Jamie tried to spot the time on Tony's watch because he really wanted to see the beach.

Twisting a little, Jamie wriggled behind Tony but the grip on him wouldn't leave and Tony didn't even pause in the conversation about concrete and walls and security.

Accepting that he wasn't going to be able to wriggle free and kind of thinking that it would be a bit mean to try and wriggle free by twisting Tony's arm until it hurt, Jamie leaned into him and tugged on his trousers.

Tony still didn't pause but his thumb stroked Jamie's hand where he held him.

But Jamie was bored. Sighing loudly, Jamie scuffed his shoes on the ground and stared longingly at the machinery that was helping to build up the house that Tony said they would be able to stay in one day.

He could probably drive one of those. But Tony was holding him tightly still.

They'd been talking for long enough. Jamie edged his foot over to Tony and looked up. Tony seemed to be nodding along to what the man in the very yellow jacket was saying.

Jamie looked back at their feet; at Tony's shining black pair and at his own dirty white sneakers and then raised his eyes again.

Slowly and deliberately, he kicked at Tony's foot. Because he was staring up at Tony, Jamie could see the way his mouth tightened in a way that could have been a smile or a frown. Needing to know, Jamie pushed with his foot a little more, kinda figuring that it might make the expression continue until it was clear enough to read.

"Jamie," Tony said tightly.

Jamie perked up and waited but then nothing more followed. Not really sure what Tony wanted, Jamie pushed into his leg and buried his face in Tony's hip before trying to work out if he could hide underneath his jacket. For a few minutes he amused himself by trying to get the jacket's bottom to fit over the edge of the water which was hard with only one hand.

Then the jacket was lifted out of his hands and the grip on his hand was released. The droning voice had gone and Jamie turned back eagerly.

"That won't work," Tony said as if they'd been talking. He was staring down at Jamie with…well…almost annoyance. It had been ages since he'd annoyed Tony and Jamie felt something in him sink.

Tony didn't like it when Jamie annoyed him.

"You liked Pepper, right?"

Jamie stared at him in horror, his heart feeling as if it had stopped dead. Slowly, he shook his head and then grew more emphatic with the motion.

Tony sighed looking even more annoyed and Jamie wanted to shrink away as Tony pinched the bridge of his nose. "You like Pepper, don't start this."

The necklace that Jamie always wore suddenly felt like everything good and comforting and Jamie clutched it close. "You can't send me to her," he said suddenly feeling fiercely annoyed. "I have your promise."

"My…" Tony stared at the necklace and then a look of surprise crossed his face. "I meant send you to Pepper for a day not forever."

Not entirely convinced, Jamie started to kick at the ground in order to wedge himself into it so he couldn't be sent anywhere. For good measure, he reached out and tangled his fist in Tony's trousers, not really caring that he'd been told to avoid ruffling Tony's clothes.

"I want to stay with you," he murmured when Tony said nothing. And he could see that Tony was starting to soften so…"Dad," he added for good measure.

Tony blinked and stared at him.

When he said nothing for ages, Jamie shifted and slouched not really sure what he was supposed to do to make it better.

Tony crouched down suddenly, cupping his nose and mouth with his hands as he stared at Jamie. "Don't do that," he said after a moment. "Don't call me that because you think you have to."

But Tony was meant to be his Dad. Jamie just kept forgetting to say it, like when he'd kept forgetting his and Adam's name had changed. Confused, he started to bite at his thumb, liking the secure feeling he had when he did it. As he sucked, Tony looked away and stared at the water, the wind ruffling his hair. It would be easier if Jamie could tell Tony that he didn't understand but Tony always looked disappointed when he said that.

It seemed to take Tony ages to look at all the water. The strange bruise on his face that he had got in-between Jamie going to bed the night before going on vacation and the morning when he had woken up in the car was a bit faded because of something that had been dabbed over his skin.

Adam had been funny about it when Jamie had asked him on the phone.

After a few minutes, Jamie turned to stare out as well, trying to see what he was seeing. It was pretty outside; the sun was high in the sky and made the water sparkle. The wind kept the day from being too hot and it smelled all salty.

"How far does it go?" Jamie asked.

Tony stirred as if he'd forgotten that Jamie was even there and stared at him. That strange expression crossed his face as he watched Jamie and then he stood, holding out his hand.

"Want to see?"

Jamie nodded, leaning into Tony as they walked towards the edge of the cliffs.

Jamie sucked in a startled breath.

It was huge. And so…open and free. It was pretty and he stared for as long as he could. The sight was calming and it would be amazing to fly over…

When he asked Tony if they could, Tony laughed and shook his head. "Shall we go down to the beach later?"

Beach?

Jamie bit at his thumb, frowning over the word.

"Jamie?"

"I…" he sighed because he hated admitting when he didn't know something. "What's a beach?"

The hand on his tightened and Tony looked annoyed again.

"I don't think I've been told," Jamie muttered, a little fed-up with how far he was behind.

"Come on," Tony said suddenly, tugging him towards the car and fiddling with his phone. With one hand he dialled a number and lifted it to his ear. "Pepper," he said as he led Jamie to the passenger seat and opened the door for Jamie. "Can you cancel that meeting?"

Jamie scrambled in and sat on the booster chair, still enjoying sitting in the car with Tony. They had the top down and it made him feel as if he was running through the streets.

"-doesn't even know what a beach is," he could hear Tony saying as he came around to the driver's side. "You seriously think I want to talk shop after that?"

He was telling Pepper? Sulking, Jamie fiddled with dashboard because he didn't really want to hear how stupid he was.

"I know," Tony was saying. "I know what I said…oh come on, they'll wait. I have money, they want money. They always wait for me."

Tony held the phone away from his ear and started the engine. He used his free hand to gesture at Jamie for the seatbelt and clicked it in for him.

"Nope, wasn't listening," Tony said cheerfully when he returned the phone to his ear. He tilted his head so it was wedged between his cheek and shoulder. "…Because I'm trying to buckle Jamie in and that seemed more important. Or did you want me to splatter my kid across the road?"

Interested, Jamie stroked the part where the belt had clicked in and then tugged. The belt hold firm and prevented him from going anywhere when he did it quickly but when he did it slowly he could lean forward as much as he wanted.

"Mm," Tony was saying in a way that even Jamie could tell meant he was humouring Pepper. The engine started and Tony started to pull onto the faded track. "No, not driving," he said with a grin.

"You are," Jamie said seriously, just in case Tony didn't know because that seemed a bit dangerous.

Tony leaned back so that the steering wheel was being touched with his knees and reached out a hand to cover Jamie's mouth, the other hand resting on the side of the car. "No, he's delirious with wanting to see the beach," Tony said, glancing at Jamie and winking at him.

Oh. Tony was fibbing. The idea made Jamie giggle against Tony's hand because the best things happened when Tony fibbed. Tony slid his arm from the car door and rested on the steering wheel as another car approached them.

"Hm?" Tony asked innocently. "I don't know, you always used to believe what I said…" he grinned again. "I dunno…like the first month that you worked for me?...and there was that one time three months ago."

They seemed to be going downhill and they were getting closer and closer to the water. His attention caught, Jamie strained his neck to see the view.

"Look, I know it's important but-"

There was a golden colour on the floor and it was heaped like the soil in the garden like it had been when Matt had been working last week. The water was still blue but it was rising and falling with white frosted edges, like when Bruce was cooking things.

Maybe the water was hot.

The car stopped and Tony was still chatting on the phone. "…just ten minutes," he was saying and sounding less and less determined.

Jamie unbuckled himself and turned to Tony hopefully. Catching his look, Tony nodded and reached over to undo the car door.

Brilliant!

Jamie scrambled out of the car and ran towards the water, the stopped dead when his feet sunk. Curious, he bent down and touched the golden floor and became fascinated by the texture. It was like nothing he'd even felt before and when he poked a hole it was immediately covered by the grains.

And it was warm.

Laughing, he stepped forward again and watched as his feet sunk slightly. Wanting to know what it felt like under him, he stripped off his sneakers and socks and then buried his feet into the surface.

The look of the ground changed when it got closer to the water and Jamie ran towards it eagerly. The ground became almost sticky but not…it clumped together easily and Jamie stared at his own footprints with glee. He ran and then checked behind him to see that yep, his feet were all still there.

With ease he jumped into a hand stand and started to walk like that then flipped over and turned to see that the feet marks had turned into hand marks. Grinning he used his feet to trace the marks that made up his name and-

The water came close and washed the bottom of it away so that only a faint line from his writing remained.

For a moment, Jamie stared at the water with disbelief then darted forward to dig into the sand this time, trying to make his name clear and-

The white frothy water came in again and started to rub out his writing. Annoyed, Jamie kicked at it and then laughed at the height of the spray he created. Chasing after the water as it fled away from him he did it again and again, trying to see if he could make the water go higher than him.

When he looked back, Tony was leaning on the hood of the car, the phone in his hands and watching Jamie.

So Jamie waved and then turned back to the water because Tony had said something about ten minutes and his time must almost be up. A little disappointed, Jamie stared out at the water, determined to commit the scene to memory.

He turned, walking a little away from the water and started to draw in the ground where it would be protected as it wasn't too close to the water.

He could write Jamie and Adam and Tony and Clint and Bruce. Steve was easy and he hummed over Natasha. And there was Sam. And Pepper because even if she was a bit bossy she was still nice to him when she saw him. And then there was Thor and Jane who had said he was really clever when he'd met her.

There was another name that burned in his brain and he hesitated, not sure whether he should write it because it was Adam's dad but not really wanted to write it there because that was Jamie's family, not Adam's.

It had to be longer than ten minutes. Maybe Jamie was meant to go back over?

Oh.

Slouching, Jamie turned back and put his head down as he slunk back over to Tony, waiting for a telling off because he'd been too long.

"Had enough?"

With a last longing look back at the water and the strange ground, Jamie nodded, still not looking up.

So Tony bent down and used a cloth to rub in between Jamie's fingers to get rid of the strange ground.

"What is it?" Jamie asked, staring at his hands curiously.

"What this?" Tony asked, pointing at the stuff. "It's sand," he said still using a bit of a strange tone.

Sand.

"Can we come back one day?" Jamie asked sadly.

A thumb caught his chin and made him look up. Tony was watching him with concern in his eyes and that calm, quiet look that almost made Jamie want to snuggle in close. "Do you want to leave?" Tony asked.

"It's been ten minutes," Jamie told him confidently. The test men had liked it when he had been able to judge the time.

He didn't add that it had definitely been over ten minutes.

"Where did you get ten minutes from?" Tony asked, tilting his head and pausing the clean-up of Jamie's hands.

"You told Pepper-"

"I tell Pepper a lot of things," Tony said dismissively. "I didn't give you a time limit."

Oh. Jamie turned that over in his head and then turned to dash back to the beach but strong arms caught him and lifted him into the air and then manoeuvred Jamie over Tony's shoulders so that he could see the man's back.

Giggling, Jamie squirmed, not really wanting to get free but figuring he should seem as if he wanted to. When he was lifted off Tony's shoulders the man put him down onto the ground…the sand and gave his butt a playful kick. "Go on," Tony said, waving his hand at the water.

Shrieking with happiness, Jamie launched at the water and started to do cartwheels. When he felt dizzy he stopped and tuned back to Tony who was staring at the words Jamie had drawn in the sand.

Winding over to him, Jamie stared down at them as well and then up at Tony. "Did I do them right?" he asked. Tony nodded and Jamie stared down at them and then huffed. "I keep forgetting to change your name," he sighed, kicking into the sand a little. "It took ages to remember to change mine and Adam's," he added.

Tony said nothing.

"You don't remind me," Jamie added slyly. "You always used to remind me when I called Adam A1."

"Shall we change it then?" Tony asked suddenly, crouching down.

Yes. They could do that with sand. Not wanting to ruin the other words, Jamie dropped into a one handed plank and started to rub out the words, frowning when he could feel himself struggling to keep the position. Pushing himself back up, he stared at his arm as if there was something wrong with it.

Oh right, he was meant to be changing the name.

Running around this time so that he could easily reach where Tony's name had once been, Jamie started to change the name to Dad.

"What's the difference between Dad and Daddy?" Jamie asked as he stuck his tongue out to make sure that the letters were as neat as possible.

"I…" Tony seemed lost for words. He had stood again and was staring at Jamie in surprise. "You didn't write Bucky's name," he said suddenly as if that followed on from the conversation they were having.

"Didn't want to," Jamie said petulantly. "Adam's not here," he added.

"Does…are you ever afraid of him?"

Jamie studied to the word, still not sure whether he needed to add the 'dy' at the end because that was what lots of people seemed to call their Dads in the books that he read.

"Jamie?"

He shrugged. "I don't like him," he said to the sand. "I don't want to write his name. Should I write Dad or Daddy?" he demanded.

Tony shrugged and Jamie huffed. If everyone in books had a Daddy then he wanted Tony to be his. Stubbornly, he added the 'dy' and then avoided staring up at Tony…his Daddy.

That sounded strange. But in a good way.

"Why?" Tony asked. "Why don't you like him? He hasn't…has he ever hurt you?"

Jamie peered up at him. "He watches me," Jamie said eventually, thinking about it.

"Watches you?" Tony asked, his tone dropping a little.

"Like I'm gonna do something bad or wrong," Jamie said, sitting back and squinting up. Tony…Daddy?...was looking worried. "I try not to," Jamie said defensively, poking a hole in the sand with his finger. "I don't like being stupid."

"Kid, you are the furthest thing from stupid," T…Daddy said fiercely.

Jamie ducked his head and tried to make the hole as big as possible. "I didn't know what sand was," he said to the ground. "And I still don't know what a beach is," he reminded Daddy. "You told Pepper," he added mutinously.

Daddy reached down to pick him up and lifted him up into the air. "This is the beach," he said carefully, settling Jamie against his chest. "And it's not your fault that you don't know some of these things. You pick up everything fast," he said seriously.

Jamie hummed at that and fiddled with Daddy's collar. "Do you think I'll be able to get four years ahead?" he asked hopefully because Daddy had said that he'd be impressed by that.

Something clicked in Daddy's jaw. "Maybe," he said. For a moment he looked as if he was about to say something else but then he shook his head looking even more irritated.

Jamie leaned his head against Daddy's shoulder and let out a contented sigh as he stared at the view.

"Daddy?"

Under him the man went rigid and his breathing went weird. "Yes?" he asked sounding strange.

"Will the water always be here?"

"Yeah," Daddy said stroking his hair. "Promise."

That was good then.

"I'll try to stop forgetting," Jamie said snuggling in close. Moments later he felt a kiss being pressed to his hair.

"Love you, kid," Daddy said in a really quiet voice.


	3. Questions and Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas/holidays and that it was wonderfully restful :)

"What's your super power?" Jamie asked Bruce. Next to him Adam, who had been concentrating really hard on shooting all the bad guys on the massive screen that Tony had set up in the safe room, looked over with curiosity.

"He's clever," Adam said, sounding a little unsure. "Like…" he hummed as if to debate the wisdom of his next few words. "Like the test-men."

Bruce raised an eyebrow at him and shifted a little. "Not like them," he said firmly. In his hands he held a radio and seemed to be obsessively switching it off and on.

He was nervous. Even Jamie could tell that. The siren had gone off a few hours ago and Daddy had looked up from where he was showing Jamie and Adam how to solder and had let off a string of curses that Jamie could almost completely remember.

They'd done test runs before (after Daddy had explained that tests in this case just meant practising and not being strapped to a table for hours on end with those funny wire things in your head) and Jamie had found them almost fun because Daddy and Clint had bitched at each other as they did it which might just be Jamie's best thing ever to watch.

But neither of them were here now. They'd all gone off to fight a bad guy or guys or maybe some girls because girls were so boring and yuck.

Apart from Natasha but that was because she could probably kill all of them without trying.

Jamie placed his head in his hands and fixed Bruce with a hopeful look. "Daddy can make suits," he said thoughtfully. "And he is clever and is a playboy."

"And you know what a playboy is?" Bruce asked, his lips starting to twitch.

Well…no, but Daddy and Steve used it a few times and they seemed amused by it so it was probably a good thing. Besides, it combined playing and being a boy!

"And Steve's strong," Jamie added, deciding to cover up his lack of knowledge. "And so is Thor but he has a hammer." For a moment he imagined having a cool hammer that he could use to swing at things and then he could go with the Avengers when they were out fighting the bad people.

"Dad's strong too," Adam said, sounding surly.

"And Clint can aim at things and Natasha…she can fight really, really well," Jamie decided. "And Sam can fly." He squinted up at Bruce again and waited.

"We'll wait for your father to get home," Bruce said after a moment. "And then we can all talk together."

Jamie huffed a great sigh.

Xxxx

"You are part of a team," Steve was shouting. "Why are you so determined to do this alone?"

Jamie froze mid rush into the sitting area. He'd fallen asleep down in the safe room and had dashed up the moment he'd realised that the doors were open. Edging closer he blinked when he saw it was Clint and Steve that were squaring up to each other.

"It's me he wants," Clint snapped. "This isn't a team thing, this is a 'me' thing."

"There's a me in team," Daddy muttered as he stood with his arms folded against the counter. "Could be the same thing."

"Don't help," Steve snapped, holding up a hand as if to stop Daddy.

"Did he just signal to me like I'm a dog?" Daddy asked sounding very put out. "Did that just-"

"I'm gone," Clint said, striding forward to pick up his bow. When Steve reached out to grab his arm, Clint just looked down and then back up again. "I'm not backing down from this," he sneered.

A hand rested on Jamie's shoulder, the smell of tea and ink letting him know without glancing up that it was Bruce. Stepping back into him a little, Jamie took a deep calming breath, trying not to be scared.

"You cannot go out there alone. I saw your file, I know what he did-"

Clint punched Steve. And it wasn't like they did when they were sparring. Wide eyed, Jamie simply stared at the scene and allowed Bruce to twist him and lift Jamie up so that he couldn't see the fight. Clutching onto Bruce's top, Jamie buried his face in Bruce's neck as the sounds of something breaking could be heard.

"Really?" he felt Bruce rumble underneath him. "You're both gonna do this here?"

There was a long silence and the sound of footsteps. Daddy lifted Jamie from Bruce and pulled him tight, rocking him slightly.

"You okay, kid?"

Jamie shook his head and tried to find Clint but he didn't seem to be in the room. Instead, there was Steve with a slightly red cheek, staring at the other exit.

"He's a grown ass man," Daddy said as he laid his cheek on Jamie's hair. "You know you can't stop him."

"He's gonna get himself-" Steve began to say.

Daddy suddenly coughed in a loud, fake way which drew Steve's attention over and then to Jamie. For a long pause, Steve stared at Jamie and then sighed and nodded.

"What?" Jamie asked, trying to see Daddy's face. "Gonne get himself what?"

"Told off," Daddy said without missing a beat. "He's gonna get himself told off by Papa Smurf over there."

If there was anyone that looked less like a Smurf it was probably Steve. But he was bossy and a bit annoying at times so maybe that was why Daddy was calling Steve that. Humming at it and then at the empty door, Jamie shrugged.

It wasn't too bad being told off by Steve. Or even by Bruce.

"What's Bruce's superpower?" Jamie asked, suddenly remembering the question. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Bruce blink as if a little panicked and Steve drew in a sharp breath.

"He turns into this enormous green rage monster who can flip-flop Gods," Daddy said sounding unconcerned. "Wanna see footage?"

Jamie nodded, feeling a little doubtful about it, even as Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, as if pained.

"What?" Daddy asked, sounding surprised. "It's the truth."

The noise Bruce made sounded like pure frustration and he dropped his hands before reaching for Jamie. Looking baffled, Daddy handed Jamie over which was awesome because he wasn't walking at all at the moment.

"See," Bruce said, sitting them both down on the sofa. "I'm a scientist but I used to test myself-"

"You tested yourself?" Jamie asked with awe. That had to be really brave because being tested was scary but to make yourself do it?

Wow.

"And…" Bruce seemed to struggle a little. "It went a bit wrong. So I ended up as the Hulk."

The Hulk. Jamie knew that. It was green and angry and saved Daddy on some of the clips that people had shown last month on an anniversary of people dying in New York.

"What does rage mean?" Jamie asked, just to check.

"Angry," Bruce said quietly, as if ashamed.

They were teasing him. "No," Jamie said with a giggle. "You don't get angry. You're being silly."

With that, he slipped off the sofa and ran over to get some juice from the fridge, disbelieving chuckles following him as he went.

How dumb did they think he was?

Xxx

Two nights later, Jamie woke to panicked noises and the sound of something breaking. Curious, he rolled out of bed and stumbled to his door and the rolled his eyes when Adam was already down the end of the hall that led to the main room.

"I hate you," Jamie muttered to him as he leaned into his brother. "You're not meant to-"

"Shut up," Adam hissed at him, pulling Jamie against the wall.

Peeking out, Jamie stared at the sight before him.

There was a helicopter on the pad outside which Daddy would scream holly murder about because it looked old as hell and was so not in the right place. And the door was still open-

There was a blood trail on the floor, drips that had been smeared by boots and then trod in scattered patterns around the room. A vase from the table, which Pepper usually insisted on when she came, had been shattered across the floor and no-one was around to pick it up.

The room was empty.

Not sure what to do, Jamie turned to look up at Adam who was frowning at the sight. As if catching Jamie's look, Adam turned to the main room again and strode in, going straight for the television cabinet where the DVDs that no-one watched because they had the internet and Netflix and Tony was way too lazy to actually put a DVD in the player. Adam drew up a bunch and then fished out a long, vicious looking knife.

"Sir asks that you put that down," Jarvis scolded. "And also that you prepare to be grounded until you're eighty for being such a …" the AI seemed to hesitate. "I'm sure you can imagine the rest of the sentence," he said in a snippy voice.

"Are they all right?" Adam demanded.

"They are in the medical room, tending to someone who has been injured. Someone will come up in a minute," Jarvis assured them. "Perhaps closing the door might be a worthwhile endeavour."

Adam sighed and placed the knife back down before walking over to the doors. For a long moment he stared at the helicopter and then slammed the door shut.

There was a lot of blood and, when he turned around, Adam stared at it with worry.

"It's okay," Jamie told him after a moment. "The test men said that if you were good at fighting then you wouldn't die. And in films if you're nice then you don't die. So none of them can."

Adam slid his gaze to Jamie's and opened his mouth as if to say something. Then he came over and leaned into Jamie as if he needed a hug.

Which was silly because Adam never needed anything from Jamie.

"Okay," Adam said, suddenly sounding a bit young.

It was a little bit strange.

Xxx

Jamie woke when someone picked him up. Cracking his eye open ever so slightly, Jamie relaxed again when he saw it was Steve.

"The doors were left open," Bucky growled. Stiffening a little, Jamie peeked over in the direction of the voice to see that Adam was curled up on Bucky's lap and was awake. "Anyone could have-"

"They didn't," Steve replied calmly. "Don't start playing the 'what-if' game."

"It would have taken three seconds-"

"Clint was dying," Natasha snapped at him. Deciding it wasn't worth pretending to be asleep, Jamie turned in the direction of her voice to see her cleaning up the glass.

"Wasn't aware that all of you were trained surgeons," Bucky snapped back.

"Enough," Steve said with a sigh.

Clint. Dying? Trying to wiggle free, Jamie whined when Steve simply peered down at him with curiosity, as if holding him still took no effort at all. "Wanna see Clint," he complained, staring at the tree truck arms wrapped around him.

"Not now," Steve said gently. "He needs to rest."

"But-"

"No means no," Steve chided, a hint of steel in his voice.

But…but Clint couldn't be dying. Jamie knew how it worked and Clint hadn't failed to do anything. So he couldn't die. Confused, Jamie chewed on his thumb as he tried to work out why the adults didn't understand it.

"Did he do something wrong?"

He could feel Steve's growing irritation. "No," Steve said in a harsh tone. "Jamie, you need to go back to-"

"Did he fail at something?"

The irritation turned to anger as Steve set him down on the sofa suddenly so that Jamie was taller than usual but Steve still towered over him. "Now, look," Steve began.

"You're being stupid," Adam suddenly snapped, surprising everyone. "It doesn't work like that. You don't not die just because you were good at fighting or don't fail stuff."

Jamie just about glimpsed Steve's stunned expression before he turned and stamped his foot at Adam, something that was kinda wasted as he was standing on the sofa. "Yes it does," he huffed.

"No, it doesn't," Adam yelled back, sitting up on Bucky's lap. "You watch all those stupid films-"

"The test men said," Jamie said, suddenly feeling angry. "They said. "Cs failed and they died. And Is and Gs and they all died. All the others were bad or weak or failed. And you were good and they said you had a bright future and I was bad and I wasn't gonna make it to thirteen."

There was deathly silence.

Jamie curled away from them slightly and sunk back into the sofa. "So I'm right," he decided stubbornly because no-one was arguing with him anymore. "So Clint can't die if he didn't fail at anything. So you're all being stupid."

Steve sat down on the table and buried his face in his hands. There was the sound of something ripping and, when Jamie dared to look at Bucky, his metal fingers had torn into the material of the arm of the sofa.

"You don't have to be angry just 'cause I'm right," Jamie muttered.

"You're not-" Bucky cut himself off and looked up at the ceiling for an age, shaking his head. Even Adam was blinking at Jamie owlishly as if surprised.

Sometimes Adam was a bit stupid. He'd heard the test men and he was older than Jamie.

"Jarvis," Natasha said gently. "Perhaps Tony might need to-"

"He's on his way," Jarvis said gently.

Good. Daddy would back him up. Then they could all stop staring at him.

Daddy didn't help.

"We talking about this," Daddy said, sounding not quite right. "I told you that you weren't a failure, remember?"

Jamie nodded. Of course he remembered that, it had been nice to hear. Daddy had sat him in the dining chair and, over his head, Jamie could see the others glancing over.

"Okay," Daddy said. "Right so-"

"But I did fail the tests," Jamie told him. "And they kept saying something had gone wrong. So I was bad because that means the same thing. I'd gone wrong."

Daddy opened his mouth a few times.

"And I don't train anymore and even when I did I wasn't…" Jamie hesitated because the others could hear. "They had to give me injections to make me heal," he whispered in Daddy's ear because it was a bit embarrassing.

Daddy rocked back on his feet and closed his eyes as if Jamie had hit him. But he hadn't so…so Jamie glanced at Adam hoping for help.

Adam looked miserable as Steve muttered at him quietly.

"Kid, you're not…" Daddy pressed his lips together, his eyes bright. "Do you really think that you're gonna die before you're thirteen?"

Yeah. Jamie nodded. That was what everyone said and he'd told them all that.

Daddy made a strangled noise and suddenly pulled Jamie off the chair and into his arms. The grip was so tight that it almost hurt and he was so completely enveloped in Daddy that he couldn't see or feel anything else.

"It doesn't work like that, kid," Daddy breathed into his hair. "It's luck or… there's nothing deciding what lives and dies. It's random."

What?

"No it isn't," Jamie told Daddy's chest. "No 'cause that means you could die."

"Tony," Natasha said in what sounding like a warning tone.

"You want me to leave him thinking he's gonna die in the next few years?" Daddy snarled. His hands stroked Jamie's back in a soothing way, despite his tone. "Kid…" he trailed off and just held Jamie tighter.

It was nice to be held like that and no-one said anything else so obviously Jamie had won that discussion. Pleased, he snuggled in close and allowed Daddy's breathing to lull him back to sleep.

xxx

"School maybe?" someone was saying…maybe Sam? It sounded a bit like him. "Kids are often better at explaining ideas and maybe if he meets his peers-"

"Would it be safe?" Bucky was asking.

"Changed your tune," Daddy muttered bitterly.

"Do you think I wanted to hear that?" Bucky snapped. "That any of us did?"

"We could make it safe," Natasha said quietly. "Coulson probably knows a few people that we could trust to heighten security."

"And the other kids?" Steve asked. "What?" he muttered a second later. "We have to be realistic."

"He's a normal kid," Sam said. "Let him enjoy the benefits of that. He's gonna feel left out as it is later on."

Daddy hummed at that. "He is feeling left out already," he said quietly. "And…I can't let him think that…that he's gonna…" he seemed to find the conversation painful.

That seemed to knock them all into silence.

"Is this the best time?" Steve asked suddenly. "What with Cross still after Clint?"

"Oh yeah, let's wait until none of us have a mortal enemy to fight. How about Tuesday after never?" Daddy asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I'm just saying-"

"Cross is hardly a concern," Bucky said suddenly. "If we can't send him to school when it's just Cross then we'll know to scrap the idea."

"Cross nearly killed Clint-"

"He got lucky," Bucky snapped.

Jamie turned away from the voice and snuggled deeper into the sofa, dismissing the conversation as he fell back to sleep.


	4. School

Clint seemed to have become a mass of bandages and plaster cast and scowls. He only came up when people made him and bitched the entire time he was with everyone before skulking back down to his level.

So Jamie went to him.

It was fine because Jamie was bored because Adam and Bucky had gone out somewhere and Daddy kept making calls to people and talking about scores and specialised care and security that sounded way too boring to even be considered as something Jamie wanted to listen to.

"What is it?" Clint demanded as he stood at the door, face screwed up.

"Is your arm broken?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah," Clint said, looking so unhappy about it. "Next annoying question?"

An annoying question? "Do bats have teeth?"

There was a twitch around Clint's mouth as he rolled his eyes and then nodded Jamie in. "You're cute, I'll give you that. You better find something for when the cute fades away."

Jamie wasn't exactly sure what that meant but he peered at the photographs that lay scattered across the table in front of the television screen.

"Does he shoot things too?" Jamie asked.

"Shoots me apparently," Clint muttered as he eased himself onto the sofa. Jamie stared at the picture of the man who had one eye and then some strange implant thing drawn across the other eye all the way around to behind his ear. There was an old file from something called the CIA calling him William Cross.

When Jamie peered up, Clint was studying him thoughtfully.

"I'm bored," Jamie sighed as he traced the picture. "Daddy keeps making stupid phone calls."

"You know why?" Clint asked, reaching for a bottle that didn't look like it had water in it.

"School," Jamie sighed. "I have to meet other kids," he huffed. Other kids weren't Adam or the Avengers. Other kids were gonna be boring too.

"You'll like it," Clint said. "And it might help you be less…" he seemed to falter. "Determined to stick to Jamie logic."

Whatever. Jamie shrugged and moved around the table to stand by Clint and studied him instead. For a second, Clint looked taken aback and then shifted uncomfortably. "What you doin'? he asked slowly.

"The test men had an injection that would make people heal," Jamie said thoughtfully. "Hurt though. Maybe Daddy could find it for you."

A sad smile crossed Clint's face. "Hurt did it?" he asked, his good arm reaching out to stroke Jamie's back.

Jamie nodded.

"What sorts of things did it heal?"

"Combat injuries," Jamie said firmly. "Only those because you had to start again before you forgot what you learned. A 'G' got me with a knife once." Jamie frowned at the memory. "I'm not very good with them."

Bucky was and Adam was starting to be. Still, Jamie wasn't too sure he minded that. Knives weren't exactly fun.

"Did you ever enjoy anything that you did with them?" Clint asked softly.

Jamie shook his head. "I…" he peered around in case someone was around to hear. "I wanna help," he whispered, "but I don't like training. At all."

Clint sighed and stroked Jamie's fringe off his face. "How about sports?" he said after a moment. "Shall we try sports instead?"

Jamie tilted his head curiously.

Xxx

Sports looked awesome.

Clint seemed to suddenly find channels that were dedicated to them and who had been hiding those from him? There was football (but Jamie would need to grow bigger shoulders for that) and gymnastics which looked so cool. And basketball and tennis and table tennis and running and throwing stuff.

Golf looked boring though. Maybe he'd like it when he reached one hundred like some of the golfers seemed to be.

"Daddy," Jamie declared when he went back up to the penthouse. "I want to do sports."

Daddy looked up from his fiddling with a bow and sighed. "You want to do what?"

"Sports. All of them."

"Jarvis," Daddy said. "Tell Clint that he can go fuck himself if he wants this bow fixed."

"In those exact words , sir?"

"Yeah. Those exact words." Daddy scraped a hand through his hair. "Which sports are we talking about here?" he asked as if slightly worried.

"Baseball, Basketball, Cross country, Darts," Jamie tilted his head to work out whether he'd seen any with E-

"Oh god, it's alphabetical," Daddy muttered. "Fine, kid. We'll ignore all my good work today and start looking for schools with good sports programmes."

"I can learn them at school?" Jamie asked in awe. "Can I go now?"

"J," Daddy said suddenly. "Tell him I may have been too quick." He focused on Jamie. "You now want to go to school? No more huffing and scowling about leaving the tower?"

"If I can do sports," Jamie said, not too sure what Daddy was getting at.

"Jarvis, tell Clint I'll make him three new bows."

Xxx

"Not a private school," Clint said which was enough to make Tony roll his eyes because like hell was he gonna take advice from someone who had literally been raised by a circus. Peering at him with some disgust, Tony turned his attention back to his son who lay in front of him on his belly, head in his hands and elbows resting on the carpet as his sock covered feet waved back and forth.

"What's one of those?" Jamie asked, turning to look at Tony.

"One's with damned good sports," Tony said, smirking.

Irritatingly, Bruce snorted. "Here," he said. "This one – 'the School well prepares students to "go forth unafraid'. Are we sure that we want Jamie to become even more unafraid to do things?"

"I'm not afraid," the kid chirped in as if he was being helpful. Reaching over, Tony used his foot to tap the kid on the head.

"Shush," he instructed. "Don't help. And it says it creates an individualised programme. Kinda think that might be necessary."

"Woah," Clint said, sitting up. "How much for a year?"

"Pretty sure I spent that in one night once," Tony said with a grin. "Many times," he corrected, thinking it over.

"Look," Jamie suddenly shrieked as he studied the options. "Look at the sports," he breathed. "Wanna go," he begged, turning to throw himself at Tony.

Catching the kid, Tony let him stand on his lap. "You do, huh?" he said with a smile. Over Jamie's shoulder he stuck his tongue out at Clint.

"If he turns out to be a spoilt brat-"

Bruce rolled his eyes. "He's already spoiled," he muttered. To Tony's amusement, Jamie nodded seriously and then thudded down onto Tony's lap making him wince.

"You need to check their discipline programme," Bruce said thoughtfully, eyeing Jamie up. "He'll need to get some from somewhere."

"I can be disciplined," Tony muttered as Jamie stole his phone out of his pocket and examined the buttons and then so chose to ignore the way Bruce's eyebrows raised and he pointedly glanced at Jamie as the boy hummed for a moment and then tossed the phone up to catch it again.

"You don't like people taking your stuff," Bruce reminded him.

"He's my stuff," Tony said, reaching out to catch the phone before Jamie could. "My stuff can interact with my stuff. It's useful. Watch. Kid," he said, catching Jamie's attention. "Can you get me a beer?"

"Yes," Jamie said and then stayed put, watching as if he was about to be asked another question. Tony stared at him before pointedly flicking his gaze at the fridge. After a moment, Jamie rolled his eyes and then tumbled to the floor in a freakishly weird way before scampering off to the kitchen.

"Aren't there waiting lists for these?" Bruce asked quietly when Jamie was out of earshot.

"I'm Iron Man," Tony said dismissively. "And…you know. Me. They love the idea."

"And the security measures?" Bruce probed.

This was getting too boring to bother with. "Forgot to ask," he said lying back flat on the floor. "Figured that I'd just cross my fingers and ask people not to attack and ask really nicely."

"Like you can ask nicely." Clint muttered.

"Uh…kindly fuck off?" Tony replied and then grinned when a beer bottle was waved in front of his face. Reaching up he went to take the beer when suddenly it was held out of his reach.

"Say I can go to the one with all the sports," Jamie threatened.

"Are you holding my beer for ransom?"

At least the kid was honest. He nodded frankly and stared at Tony. Glancing over at the other two, Tony shrugged cause what the hell could you do when faced with such a demand.

"I'm sold," Tony said, reaching for the beer and then tugging Jamie down once he had hold of the bottle. Jamie let out a delighted shriek as he fell into Tony's chest and wriggled as if to get lose.

Tony had half expected there to be a battle when he sent Jamie to school. The weeks before saw the kid fluctuate between being annoying desperate to go, suddenly becoming like what Tony imaged a puppy on crack might be like. Other times, Jamie would suddenly curl into a corner, the print out from the school clasped in his hand as he worried at his lip and was sullenly quiet.

So when the big day came along, Tony was well…not worried. He'd been distinctly not worried because, hello, he battled aliens and battle bots (which was new and annoying and completely all that idiot Richards fault) so not worried at all, no matter what the others said.

And they were all happy to say things.

"You'll cry," Clint decided, perched on the counter as he tore apart some toast.

"Why? Are you never gonna leave?" Tony asked as he drummed his fingers on the table where he was sat trying to remember things. Being organised was unusual for his routine. Kid seemed to need it though.

God he was gonna get like seven hours a day back which was gonna be pure heaven. Not that he hated the kid but cabin fever was slightly starting to set in and Jamie wasn't exactly the easiest kid in the world to cope with all the time.

Good luck teacher, Tony thought with a grin.

"You do seem very…" Bruce frowned over his tea. "Eager," he decided after a moment.

"Not eager." Tony mulled it over. "Much. Hey, I didn't exactly get the normal nine months notification. Skipped that with the whole Fury threatening to give them to some former Shield playground. " He leaned back in the chair, rocking as he nodded.

"Give him three hours," Clint said as he hopped off the counter and strode over.

"One," Bruce argued.

No way in hell. With the tantrum Jamie was likely to throw it would be Christmas before Tony missed having the brat around.

Xxx

The ride to the school was filled with music blaring out as loud as possible and Jamie's induction into the world of classic rock seemed to be going well. Especially as the kid had decided to drum along to the beat in a way that Tony thoroughly approved of and joined in with during slow moments.

Or, you know, moments when it wasn't that necessary to have his hand on the wheel.

When they pulled up to the front, Jamie pressed up against the window and sighed while Tony turned down the volume. "Come on," Tony said, pressing his sunglasses on his face and getting out of the car. Jamie followed, quietly and held up his hand without looking at Tony, far too curious to bother with him apparently but seriously? What was he? The butler?

Still, the kid looked cute as he did it, fingers going in his mouth a little in the way he did when he was nervous.

"Mr Stark," the principal said as she stood at the door. "And young Jamie Stark."

Next to him, Tony could feel Jamie press into him, almost sloth like in his sudden grip.

"Do you remember me?" Vivian Winters asked with a smile that wasn't like the weird ones that people used for babies and small animals but instead was a normal fucking one that Tony damn well approved of.

Jamie nodded. "Not stupid," he complained as he pulled away from Tony slowly. "You said you had other people I can talk to and solve puzzles with."

The principal nodded. "And things to learn."

The kid tilted his head and Tony took in a deep breath, waiting for-

"Okay," Jamie said, stepping forward with a bright smile. "Bye," he added, giving Tony like, a fraction of a glance before he swaggered over to Ms Winters. "If I solve it all then will you give me more to do?" Jamie asked, peering up at her.

What the hell had just happened? Standing in shock, Tony stared at Jamie and then dumbly at the principal and damn it, he hated looking dumb. Where were the tantrums, the tears, the weird ass logic that he hated because it was almost impossible to unravel?

Almost. He was not being beaten in smarts by a six year old.

Seconds later, Jamie groaned and came running back over which Ms Winters watched with some disapproval if Tony was any judge (damn good judge of when people were pissed off with him) and gave Tony a sincere look of worry. "Clint said you'd cry," Jamie said warily in a way that actually seemed to mean 'don't you dare embarrass me'.

Tony smirked, reached out and placed his full hand on Jamie's hair and turned him using it. "Go away, horrible child. I'll see you later."

Jamie, apparently needed no encouragement and ran for the hills.

Kid was gonna be in trouble before he'd been at school for five minutes. With a shake of his head and a nod to the receptionist who had some damn good legs peeking out from under the desk, Tony turned back to the car.

The drive back was relaxing and he could drive like a normal person again rather than with concern for the person sitting next to him. And it was so good to get out of the car without thinking about Jamie.

He made it forty minutes before he walked into Jamie's room and stared at the suddenly empty space.

The kid needed to stop growing and possibly never go to school ever again.

"Jarvis," Tony said as he leaned against the door frame. "You'll shout me when it's time to pick him up, right?"

"Yes sir, even if there is the apocalypse. As per your earlier request."

Kid would probably ignore him in favour for that too. Damned brat.

"And…" Tony tapped against the door. "File all recordings and pictures into storage 50N – J01. Highest security level."

"Yes sir. Should we start a new one for his school records?"

"As long as Barton doesn't hear a word of it," Tony murmured as he closed Jamie's door. "And open new file – 50NS-JA-Santa."

Christmas was coming soon. Perhaps with Jamie out of the tower for seven hours a day, Tony could restart the battle with Barnes. Especially when it came to Christmas.


	5. Christmas

There was a fat red suited man with a massive beard on Molly's picture. It was recess and she was making a picture using only half of the card. The rest had been folded back and would probably stand up.

Maybe that was why she had done it.

"Is that your Dad?" Jamie asked, bracing his chin on his hands.

Molly glanced up at him through curly dark hair, her eyes narrowing in a way that Jamie had started to learn to dread. It usually meant that there was a yet another huge gap in his knowledge and he'd done something else that was about to be considered weird.

"It's Santa," she said scornfully.

"Oh," Jamie said, wracking his brains. "What does he do?"

"Give presents," she said in that same tone. "He gave me a laptop last year."

Present? Santa?

Hmmm.

Xxx

Today it was Bruce who picked him up and that was pretty standard after Daddy had gotten over his strange few weeks of hanging around a lot. Bruce was better, if Jamie was honest, because he was always nice and impressed with what Jamie had learned that day. Sometimes, Daddy could try to compete with Jamie's knowledge and sometimes, what he said and what the teachers said didn't match up.

"Bruce," Jamie said, sing songing because that usually seemed to help him get answers. "Do you know who Santa is?"

Bruce, who up until that point had been tapping away on the driving wheel to the radio, glanced at him, hands freezing. "Have you asked your Dad?"

"No," Jamie said, staring at him. "You picked me up," he added, just in case Bruce needed the reminder because that was such a stupid question.

Maybe Bruce was having what Clint called a brain fart.

"He gave Molly a lap top and Michael got a rabbit from him. Heidi said that she got a boat." Jamie shifted. "Does that mean that Santa likes her the best? And why doesn't he like me and Adam?"

Unless Adam had just never mentioned getting stuff from Santa, whoever he was.

"How about some hot chocolate?" Bruce asked as they drove.

Jamie knew when he was being distracted. But it didn't mean that he couldn't accept the bribe and then ask after he had the hot chocolate.

Xxx

"I got whipped cream and a flake," Jamie announced as the elevator reached the penthouse. Daddy was there looking a little bit jumpy and there was Clint too. He peered back at Bruce who hovered looking just as uncomfortable.

"Uh…"Daddy said, scratching his head. "Right so…you liked the hot chocolate?"

Clint rolled his eyes.

"Can I have one every day after school?" Jamie asked hopefully.

"No," Clint said and he was maybe still a little bit grouchy from when he'd had his arm all bandaged up. Daddy said that he was being a little bitch at the moment because his arm strength wasn't quite as good as it had been. "Listen," he said, hauling Jamie up and he seemed to manage that all right. "You wanna know about Santa, right?"

"He's fat," Jamie said decisively because he knew that already and at least that way he wouldn't seem completely stupid.

"Don't say that," Bruce said. "He might not bring you presents this year."

"Like a boat?"

"Don't," Clint said, pointing at Daddy.

"Why are you pointing at me?" Daddy asked as he circled around to the sofas. "I can't control Santa. Though I have to say, pretty sure Santa would wait to do that until the kid could drink and really enjoy the perks of having a private boat."

When Jamie glanced Clint, the man was staring at Daddy with a massive glare. "Santa should be careful he doesn't turn kids into spoiled rich brats."

"Santa thinks it might be a bit late for that," Daddy replied, easing into the chair with a satisfied grin. "And Santa thinks that someone might wanna check whose signature is on the records."

"You know him?" Jamie asked. Not too surprised because his Daddy seemed to know everyone.

"He's not stupid," Bruce said quietly, as if warning them about something as he came over too. "So," he said as he sat next to Clint. "Santa Claus."

Jamie glanced between the three of them, twisted as Clint sat down in the space left by Bruce, opposite Daddy.

"See…Santa gives children presents at Christmas," Daddy said slowly. "But the thing is, your M…your parents need to tell him about you. So…that's why he hasn't been to see you yet."

"Why?"

"Hmm?" Clint asked, pulling him a little closer.

"Why does he give people presents?" Jamie asked, pleased that he'd managed to work out what a present was.

The three of them glanced at each other, as if looking to see who would tell Jamie the answer.

"Well…" Bruce said quietly. "Because at Christmas, everyone tries to be good to each other."

Right. No. Jamie huffed and scowled, staring at his shoes as he flexed his toes. The thing was, he couldn't pretend to know and get away with it.

"What's Christmas?"

Xxx

They were getting a tree.

Jamie wasn't entirely sure why this was a big thing, especially as he'd seen loads of trees since he'd lived at the Tower but in fairness they'd never had a tree inside and even Natasha seemed to be a little bit excited.

"Adults are weird," Jamie confided in Adam as Steve and Sam brought in lots of boxes.

Adam nodded, looking as bewildered as Jamie felt. They sat on the sofa together, trying to watch a film on the screen as the adults fiddled around in the background.

"I come with a tree," Thor announced.

They hadn't said that Thor was coming! Jamie spun on the sofa and peered over the edge of the back to see a big almost cone shaped tree over Thor's shoulder as he entered from the roof. He was dressed up all fancy with a cape and looked mighty pleased with himself.

"That's not gonna fit in the corner," Sam said, peering up.

"Of course it will," Thor said, hefting the tree awkwardly. Steve had stood and was coming over, a faintly amused smile on his face.

"Tilt," he said and between them they tried to get the tree to stand. Adam turned next to Jamie, peering over the sofa with him.

"There," Thor said, sounding pleased with himself as they managed to get the tree into the stand. He nodded at Steve, as if pleased and shook his hand, then Sam's when the man stood up. "Now, I was promised pizza and beer."

"Tony's downstairs in the workshop with Rhodey; they'll be up with food later," Pepper said, appearing from the doorway. "How are you?" she asked, walking over.

"Well," Thor said and then caught Jamie's eye. "They have grown," he declared as he came over.

"We're eating lots," Jamie said, standing up and clambering onto the back of the sofa so that he was just about balanced. "Daddy says we're pits."

Thor blinked at that but still smiled as he lifted Jamie up into the sky. "You are becoming bold," he declared.

Giggling, Jamie tried to place his feet on Thor's shoulders. "I'm the tallest," he declared to the room. He shrieked when Thor suddenly adjust him so that he was properly standing on the man's shoulders, Thor gripping his wrists tightly to help him balance.

"And you are taller," Thor said, switching his attention to Adam. "Though by natural means rather than this one's forgery."

Jamie was facing the wrong way to see Adam's expression but Sam was grinning up at him. "Guess we know how to get the star on the top."

"Angel," Steve corrected absently.

"Nah," Sam said rolling his eyes at Jamie. "Gotta be a star."

"I know what a star is," Jamie added hopefully. "Can I jump," he asked Thor, pulling at the huge hands that were keeping him balanced. Steve rolled his eyes and came close, holding out his hands as Thor turned and then tugged Jamie backwards. Shrieking as he felt Thor's hands vanish, Jamie laughed when Steve caught him and then swung him to the ground.

"So what is it for?" Adam asked. At some point he'd gotten off the sofa and was circling the tree thoughtfully.

"Decorating," Sam said as he opened up a box. "See in here?"

Jamie and Adam peered as one at the glittering objects in the box.

Glitter was the best thing on the planet.

Xxx

Daddy was taking way too long downstairs with his friend that Jamie had never even met which seemed unfair. Wandering down to the workshop, tinsel wrapped around his neck and wrists and waist because he couldn't decide which colour was better, Jamie flattened himself against the workshop door and hummed against it.

On his fingers, he'd hung the baubles so that they clattered against each other.

Inside, Daddy was talking to a tall man who was dressed in a military uniform. He had a thin face and was black but he seemed nicer than the man who had one eye who had also been black and dressed in strict clothes that looked a bit military-ish. It was interesting going outside and to school now, he thought absently. Before, in the lab, he'd only ever seen people with white skin and now there were so many different people around and they talked different languages, wore different things and that was far more fun

But he was still wary of military-ish people. And test-men even though all he could remember about them really was the fact that they wore white coats and had clipboards and scowled. He was starting to think that you couldn't tell what people were like from the way they dressed and what they looked like.

That made things more complicated but it might also mean that he wouldn't get detention again for shoving at Francesca when she'd tried on a white lab coat.

The man with Daddy spotted him and his lips twisted into an amused smile, even as his eyes narrowed as if baffled by what he saw.

The doors opened and Jamie bounded in, almost tripping over the tinsel.

"I'm a Christmas Tree," he announced, pleased as he ran into Daddy's legs and peered up.

Daddy gaped down at him and then stared upwards for a few seconds before lifting Jamie onto the work desk. "Kid, we are gonna have to talk about co-ordination. No son of mine is going out with this," he pointed, "much clashing. I have some standards."

"Who are you?" Jamie said, turning to the other man and pointing, making the baubles clatter and clash on his fingers.

The man raised an eyebrow. "I can see why people are saying he's a Stark," the man said, still looking bemused. "I'm-"

"This is your Uncle Rhodey," Daddy said. "Make sure you get the 'Uncle' part in there."

Jamie hummed at that, not too sure what to say because Clint had once said he wanted to be Uncle and Clint had been around forever. "You can't decorate the tree," he settled for saying. "Steve said that me and Adam are doing that. And Sam because he has a Star." Remembering, he leaned into Daddy's head, taller than him at the moment. "It's a big star," he whispered, still awed by the sight.

Daddy's hands cupped his face. "How big?" he asked.

Well…trying to show with his hands, Jamie watched Daddy's face closely. He didn't seem that impressed, but said nothing. Instead, he pulled Jamie off the counter and onto his hip as he stood up. "Come on, I'll introduce you to the other brat as well."

"It tickles," Jamie told Daddy as they started to leave. "Look," he added, brushing the tinsel against Daddy's cheek. The tinsel was batted away and Daddy held the tinsel for a moment, glancing at how it was wrapped around Jamie and then appeared to give up even trying to de-tangle it.

"So you're actually doing this?" Uncle Rhodey asked as they walked to the elevator. "Christmas? You're ditching the whole Scrooge routine."

"I was never Scrooge. I threw money at Christmas. You ask any one of those models."

"A Christmas tree? Meal? Stockings? Santa?"

"It's Christmas," Daddy said as if that excused everything, even though he was almost wriggling as they stood. "And I don't see you bringing any girls home to the family. Was it the work? I'm telling you, you have to balance these things-"

"You are so lucky that the kid is here," Uncle Rhodey said in a frank voice as he turned away, rolling his eyes. "Six months and you're an expert."

"Genius," Daddy said, pointing to himself with his free hand. "Not genius," he said, pointing at Uncle Rhodey. "Guy who works too hard," he said, pointing at Uncle Rhodey still. "Guy who organised school admissions, put a super villain behind bars, has helped to set up a legal defence for a senior citizen and still has managed to sort out Christmas dinner and a letter to Santa," he said, pointing back at himself.

"Yeah," Jamie said because it sounded like a 'yeah' moment. It seemed to make Uncle Rhodey laugh, his expression flashing from irritated amusement to sniggering.

"Does he pay you to agree with him?" Uncle Rhodey asked as the elevator opened. "I'll double it if you disagree."

Hmm. Interesting. "What about chocolate?" Jamie asked, figuring he may as well work out what he would get from the deal.

"I'll write to Santa," Daddy threatened, putting him down. "Uh...attention all. Who did this to the kid?" he asked, pointing down at Jamie. "Admit it. Who thinks this is a cool look? We need to have a long conversation and possibly discuss future living arrangements."

"He did it to himself," Sam said, still getting more decorations out but it finally looked like the last box. Steve shook his head in amusement from the corner as he trailed the lights around the tree with Thor, something Jamie was not allowed to do.

Daddy didn't look convinced and glared at Thor and Steve. "You two have unnatural fixations on bright colours. Don't ruin the smallest child." He glanced at Adam who was tinsel free. "You, teach your brother to resist."

Adam reached out and grabbed one of the trailing ends of the tinsel Jamie was wrapped around and held on. The floors were so polished that Jamie was almost able to pull him along and then turned in surprise. When he looked up, Adam's eyes had lit up.

Shrieking, Jamie wriggled out of the tinsel or at least tried to as Adam held onto the one that was tied around Jamie's waist. Jamie tried to scamper away and Adam laughed as Jamie started to drag him around again.

"I wanna do it to you," Jamie whined. "It's not-"

He stopped when Thor suddenly swept down and knelt by him, tinsel in his hands and raising his eyebrows.

Within minutes, Thor was dragging them both around by tinsel causing them to shriek and beg him to go faster.

Xxx

The adults all had gathered in the sitting area the following day, drinking wine and beer that all tasted completely gross to Jamie.

Freed from the bath and dressed in his pyjamas, Jamie kept peering at the stockings handing by the tree, standing next to it with awe. His name was stitched in with silken golden strands on the deep red fabric. Above, a white soft and fluffy material finished off the very top.

Tomorrow it was going to be filled with presents and it meant that he had a parent that wanted to tell Santa about him.

He turned, leaning his head against the material as he watched the people in the living room. Bucky Barnes wasn't there at the moment but Adam was sitting with Steve, listening to something with earnest eyes and glancing back at Sam who added the odd comment to the story as he leaned against the arm of the sofa with a beer in his hand.

Thor had a woman with him who was small and Jamie wasn't entirely sure that one day Thor wouldn't accidently squash her. She was chatting to Bruce who had his arm stretched out across the back of the sofa with Natasha one the sofa too so it almost looked as if they would hug. Clint was sprawled in an armchair on his own, still a little quiet and grumpy but starting to warm up.

Behind, Daddy and Pepper were talking at the kitchen counter. Both of them were drinking wine and their heads were bowed together over a StarkPadd. Uncle Rhodey was sat at the counter behind them, leaning back with a beer and talking to a man that Daddy had introduced as Happy but that was the name of a dwarf so Jamie was still waiting for his real name.

It seemed ages ago that he'd just had a glass cell where he could press his hands against Adam's on the other side or that room where they would exercise and then sit together, playing with broken things when they were certain the test-men and the guards weren't looking.

He turned back to the stocking, biting his lip as he stroked the material again, glancing beyond it to the city below. Snow was falling down from the sky and the clouds above were thick as the city below glowed up upon them.

Someone came up behind him and then to the side. It was Daddy who sat down in the corner of the window, wine in his hand as he watched Jamie. "You okay, kiddo?"

"I'm watching," Jamie whispered as he turned his attention back to the sky. "I want to see Santa."

"He won't come while you're awake," Daddy warned, sounding like he was trying not to laugh.

Jamie nodded at that; they'd all said that earlier. "But…" he glanced back and everyone was still talking and laughing. Pepper was sat on the other side of Steve now, listening as Adam told a story this time. His brother looked nervous because he didn't like speaking to people the way Jamie did. Even if he did complain that Jamie got to go to school. Happy and Uncle Rhodey had moved in now and Clint was starting to join in a conversation which was better.

Satisfied that no-one was paying them any attention, Jamie edged a little closer. "Are you sure he'll come?" he asked Daddy quietly.

"Guarantee it," Daddy said.

Jamie stared at him, not sure how much to believe him. So far Daddy had never let him down but…but Jamie so desperately wanted Santa to come and give him presents. It would mean he was being good and then maybe everyone would think he was good.

"What did you ask for for Christmas?" Jamie asked, rocking back and forth. "Will Santa get it for you?"

"I buy what I want," Daddy dismissed, taking a sip. "Too old for Santa, kid."

That seemed unfair.

Jamie leaned against the glass and then turned his head to stare at the tree and the huge star above. It reflected light against the glass and the ceiling; it was almost like they'd pulled down a star from the sky and stuck it on top of the tree.

It was strange, pressing his hands to the glass again. When he pulled his hand back the imprint remained for a fraction of a second.

But then he felt a wave of fondness suddenly, like he wanted to hug and never let go. Turning, he edged towards Daddy and dropped to his knees before he crawled into Daddy's lap. Daddy lifted the glass away from him to keep it steady and wrapped his free arm around Jamie, pressing a kiss to his head.

"What if Santa gets lost?" Jamie asked, leaning his head onto Daddy's shoulder to stare out at the city below.

"I'll keep an eye out for him," Daddy promised. "If he goes past then I'll head out and get him to turn around."

That sounded good. Trying to smother a yawn, Jamie lifted his fingers to his mouth, still liking the comfort. It was calm and cosy so he let his eyes drift shut.

It felt like seconds later when he opened his eyes again but Daddy was standing, talking to Bruce about something and Jamie was peering over his shoulders at Adam who was talking to Bucky.

He didn't like it. Clenching at Daddy's jumper, Jamie squashed his face into Daddy's neck, trying to hide the sight.

"Gonna say goodnight?" Daddy asked.

"No," Jamie mumbled against him and felt a rumbled laugh. Someone gently shook his foot, a bit like if they were doing a handshake and he turned to scowl tiredly at Bruce who winked at him.

It was okay if it were Bruce, Jamie reluctantly conceded but he gave everyone else a glare, just in case they tried it too.

"You have to keep an eye out for Santa," Jamie reminded Daddy.

"What's that?" Thor's small girlfriend asked.

"He reckons Santa might miss us. You know, 'cause we're in a tower that stands above the whole city and is impossible to miss."

Jamie scowled. "Don' wan'im to forget," he sulked.

There were some cooing noises that Jamie didn't fully approve of. "He's tired," Daddy said sounding almost sheepish about it.

"No," Jamie said, wriggling as he realised where he was about to go. "Adam's awake," he complained.

But that was ignored. "Come on, pouty, let's go," Daddy said, striding off to the hall where his room was. When he glanced back, Uncle Rhodey gave him a mock salute and Jamie sleepily returned it because it was the law when that happened.

There was a small Christmas tree in his room too and Jamie stared at it as Daddy asked Jarvis to switch the lights. The bright beam from above darkened and faded while the coloured lights on the tree flicked on, casting colours in rainbows across the walls.

Jamie slid down and stared at it as Daddy opened up the bedcovers. "Come on, Jamie," he coaxed. "Sooner you sleep then the sooner Santa will come."

Rubbing a fist over his eyes, Jamie crept closer. "Can the lights stay on?" he bargained.

Daddy nodded, the lights from the tree turning his face into light and shadow as he moved. Clambering onto the bed, Jamie wriggled into the space that had been made for him and then settled down, snuggling into the freshly cleaned pillow and sheets.

Daddy tucked him in, making a bigger deal of it than usual and smoothed the sheets down until there was barely a wrinkle before he leaned close. "He won't forget about you," Daddy promised. "You won't miss out."

Feeling content and safe and pleased with the people around them, Jamie nodded and closed his eyes. Gentle hands smoothed his hair and he sighed, falling asleep before he knew it.

xxx

It was rare that Tony would admit it but, possibly, it was a bad idea to have sex with an ex on Christmas Eve. At the time it had seemed like a brilliant plan, a Stark gold mine that was always gonna be great because, hello? His plans were always brilliant but then again, he'd never had Christmas with a kid before.

So, there he was. But naked with Pepper. The pair of them sprawled out in the bed, rolled away from each other because neither of them cuddled and hadn't that been a relief and why the hell had they split up again? Anyway, it meant that in between them was a perfect Jamie shaped gap for the brat to come in at five in the morning and launch himself in there.

"Santa came," the kid shrieked with such joy that it made Tony groan and try to roll over to ignore him because it was way too early to be dealing with this. "Daddy, he came, he came."

Each phrase was punctuated with an excited bounce and even though the moniker usually made Tony grin inwardly, he so couldn't care less this early in the morning.

"What's the time, J?" Tony mumbled as he rubbed a hand over his face. The other reached out in case Jamie decided to try and bounce on him and needed to be warded off.

"Five twenty three," Jarvis answered with an apologetic tone. "But may I say Merry Christmas?" he added.

Yeah, yeah.

"Are you having a sleep over?" Jamie asked suddenly, sounding confused.

Oh.

He was up.

Sitting up, Tony pulled the covers around his waist as he did so and glanced at Pepper who was hiding her face in her hands, the covers pulled tight under her arms so that her breasts were pressed tight against the sheets. Jamie was kneeling on the bed, hair askew and there was a flicker of confusion in his eyes, a look of uncertainty that Tony hated to see.

"Have you checked your stocking?" Tony asked and then rolled his eyes at that because duh, of course the kid had but then Jamie shook his head with wide eyes.

He was afraid.

Hating it because the kid should be so spoiled by now that he'd never for a second doubt that there was gonna be presents on Christmas day, Tony pulled Jamie close and looked into those steel blue eyes.

"Are you chicken?" he dared.

Jamie blinked at him and then a frown crossed his face and he wriggled away, clambering off the bed and padding outside. Seizing the opportunity, Tony rolled out of bed and pulled on some jeans because Jamie was anything but predictable. Kid could teach super villains how to mess up his day.

"I can't believe we did this," Pepper moaned into her hands.

"We're good at it," Tony argued because he so did not need to be dealing with this right now.

"I mean it," she said, sitting up. "We can't confuse him like this. You and I…we know why we don't work. We can't have him thinking that…"

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face. "Can we not? Not today. Not before coffee."

She said nothing as she sat up, bending over drawn up knees and leaving a long expanse of back bare. For a moment he could see her, years ago at the party with the dress that he'd bought her (apparently) and what would have happened if he'd had the kid back then, before he'd changed just a bit too much to give up joining in battles and seeking out danger/saving the world with a bag of ragtag assassins, soldiers and spies.

Maybe…

He turned away not wanting to deal with that just as he heard a delighted yell from the sitting area.

Damn it, he was missing out. Speeding up a little as he pulled a t-shirt over his head, Tony turned the corner and leaned against the wall as he saw Jamie touching the stocking with reverence, darting back and forth as if he couldn't decide what to do.

Turning away, he strode to Adam's room and softly knocked on the door. Entering he smiled at the kid who was already sat up in bed, too alert for a normal ten year old at this time in the morning.

"You wanna see what Santa brought you before Jamie tears into everything?"

The one bright thing about having Adam in the tower and unable to go to school was that they'd likely keep up the whole Santa thing way beyond what most people could. The kid blinked and then grinned, uncharacteristically eager and young.

xxx

He stole it. So fucking what? For a blissful two and a half hours it was just him and his boys, laughing and playing with the little toys that Tony and the others had filled the stockings with. Having popping candy for breakfast and competing to see who could cope with the most in their mouth. They even managed to get in a game of twister before Steve and Barnes came up.

Tony was laying on the sofa, spinning the spinner and laughing at the pair of rubber children as they tried to flip and do some weird yoga moves. There was coffee too and Pepper had emerged looking coifed but awkward as she sat far away from him, encouraging the boys as they competed.

"You're awake," Steve said, sounding baffled as he stood in the doorway. Next to him. Barnes scowled at Tony.

He'd successfully pissed off Barnes without effort. It really was Christmas.

"Come and join in," Tony said graciously.

Steve glared at Barnes and whatever message he was trying to communicate pissed Barnes off more. Then, to Tony's surprise, Steve walked over and toed off his shoes, staring down at the boys.

"Hello," Jamie sang up at him, head upside down and grinning like this was the best thing ever.

Steve rolled his shoulders and then slid his right foot on a red dot, left on the yellow and then, show off that he was performed a backwards crab to get his hands where they need to go to catch up with the pair. Jamie yelled in delight and even Adam giggled.

Right then. Challenge accepted. Spinner ignored.

Tony was so gonna help the boys beat Captain America.

Xxx

By midday, all the gang were up. Food was spread out across the tables and Jamie sat on Tony's lap as the Avengers battled out the twister mat because Natasha, Clint, Steve and strangely enough Bruce, all seemed determined to be crowned Twister winner.

Jamie hadn't gotten dressed, wrapped up in one of Tony's sweaters as he played with action figures, making noises as he conducted a battle on his lap. Rhodey was trying to beat him at Mario Kart while Clint shouted at the TV on occasion between awkward poses, apparently giving tips to Rhodey which was such blatant favouritism. Sam was conducting the Twister championship (mainly because they had all declared that Tony cheated in his duties) and Bucky had stolen Adam away for a while.

Yeah, if there was one thing he'd change about the day, that would be it.

"What should we do differently next year?" Tony asked Jamie as he swung them both slightly to take a tricky corner.

Jamie looked up startled and then glanced around. "No Bucky," he decided petulantly.

Right…thing was he couldn't promise that. "Something else," he said, because the therapist had said that he should be careful not to make promises to Jamie that he couldn't keep.

The aggrieved noise made Tony smile into his son's hair. "A car?" Jamie asked hopefully.

So not happening yet. "We'll go driving next year," he promised because that he could do.

"In the suit," Jamie decided.

"No, in a car."

There was an almighty huff. "The suit the next next year then," Jamie bargained.

"Next next year," Tony agreed. God, Jamie would be eight then.

He smiled at the thought and then swore when he realised just how badly he was losing to Rhodey.

No way in hell would he ever give this up he thought, even as he glanced at Pepper. Weird, stupid thoughts about how things could have gone differently for them if a kid like Jamie had come along sooner...

But it wouldn't have been this kid, or Adam and he wouldn't be able to protect them. And he wouldn't be sitting in a room, filled with people he'd kinda tenuously call family, watching them all relax and laugh in a way he thought none of them could when they'd first met. It would probably still be Rhodey sitting next to him, declaring himself the winner and already making noises about how Tony couldn't bank for shit when they were in the suits and that he could probably help out if Tony let him look at the design schematics, but it wouldn't be Spangles over there, laughing as Natasha managed to distract Bruce to the point where he collapsed. Watching some of the most graceful people on the planet fall into a graceless heap was so worth it and damn it he could make a new fortune if he sold that recording. It wouldn't be Thor sitting with Jane as they discussed something seriously that Tony was starting to suspect may need to include jewellery at some point in the near future.

Life really was damn good.


	6. Chapter 6

There was liquid coming out of his nose when he woke up and his head felt poundy.

Jamie wriggled around in the bed sheets, checking the liquid over and over again. It was like a thin trickle, a bit like when the tap hadn't been turned off right and it was only coming out of one hole of his nose.

Curious, he snorted and then blinked in amazement when a lot of green sticky stuff came out on the bed sheets.

Maybe it meant he wasn't normal and boring after all! And of course it happened when Adam was off visiting stupid Bucky for the weekend. Still, nothing could stop him from scampering out of the bed and running down the hall to Daddy's bedroom. When he peered around, no-one was there.

So he tried the main rooms instead.

Daddy was sat on the sofa, flicking through something on his phone while Bruce and Natasha were talking quietly with each other.

"I have a super power," Jamie announced as he launched himself over to the sofa. "Look," he added as he snorted once again. This time though, it went all over Daddy's shirt collar from where he was dressed in his fancy suit.

Daddy gaped at him and then used his free hand to wipe his collar. "Back away," he said, glaring at Jamie. "Like three steps away."

Obediently, Jamie darted away and then stopped expectantly. He turned to glance at Bruce and Natasha who had stopped their conversation and looked baffled before Daddy stood and held up his hand that was covered in the sticky green stuff.

Weirdly, Natasha burst into laughter, turning away and covering her mouth but her shoulders kept heaving.

"You," Daddy said as he pointed at Bruce. "You don't get sick. Or have to talk to senators and chat show hosts. You deal with it."

"It being your sick child?" Bruce asked but he bent down and scooped Jamie up all the same. He was balanced on Bruce's hip as the man put the back of his head to Jamie's forehead and then frowned.

"Temperature?" Daddy asked, frowning as well.

"Just a little," Bruce confirmed as he walked them over to the other sofa and reached for a tissue. "Blow," he instructed and this time, the tissue caught all the sticky stuff. "He'll be fine."

Daddy hovered, as if uncertain and then made a strange sound before he came close and knelt in front of them. He reached over and stroked Jamie's cheek with one finger, warm eyes so soft that Jamie instantly felt warm and comfortable.

"It's not a super power, is it?" Jamie asked, despite everything still feeling a little disappointed.

"Tony," Bruce started to say but Daddy's face had crumpled a little and he leaned in to press a kiss to Jamie's forehead.

"No," Daddy admitted. "We've talked about this though. You don't need one."

But he wanted one.

Huffing, Jamie snuggled back into Bruce and peered at Daddy. When he tried to put his thumb in his mouth, it stopped him from being able to breathe and that wasn't good. Miserable, he sulked as Daddy got ready for whatever it was he was leaving for.

Xxx

Within a few hours, Jamie felt utterly miserable. He'd been force fed some disgusting drinks, made really hot, and his nose now felt crusty and uncomfortable.

Steve came in though and lifted him into his lap before sitting down with him and stroking his hair.

"I don't like being sick," Jamie declared unhappily. "Or alone. Adam should be sick with me."

Steve's chest rumbled against him. "You don't want him to be sick." He stroked Jamie's hair and rocked him a little. "Here," he said adjusting Jamie a little. "Want to watch?" he asked as he awkwardly put the sketch pad in front of them and started to draw with one hand.

Curious, Jamie watched and it was nice because there wasn't anything bright or loud that he had to concentrate on. Instead, the screen went off and he could just listen to him and Steve breath in the quiet of the main room.

Rough pencil strokes started to form a face and Jamie watched, rapt as he tried to work out what Steve was drawing. For a while, he thought it might be Adam but then the face was thinner and the boy looked far more delicate.

"Who's that?" Jamie asked after a while, feeling so safe in Steve's arms.

"Me."

That seemed silly. Jamie squinted at the picture and then up at Steve, though all he could see from this angle was the chiselled jaw and the sweep of Steve's cheek. "But you're strong," Jamie whispered, biting at his thumb nail because he still couldn't breathe if he sucked his thumb.

"I wasn't always," Steve said softly. "When I was your age I was thin and weak. I was sick all the time."

"Did it make you into a superhero?" Jamie asked hopefully because maybe he could put up with that if it helped him get strong like Adam.

The pencil paused and then was put down and Jamie could feel Steve draw in a long sigh. "Jamie," he said, turning Jamie around so that they were facing each other. He cupped Jamie's cheek and gave him a long stare. "You don't need to be physically strong to be a superhero."

That seemed like a strange idea. Humming, Jamie thought about it. "The test men said so," he decided eventually, feeling a little bit unsure.

Steve's face creased with anger. "Did they?" he asked tightly, a hand stroking Jamie's hair. "Were they strong?"

"No," Jamie admitted after a moment, surprised by the fact he'd never thought of it before. "They weren't."

"Were they in control?"

Jamie nodded and then blinked. "They were smart," he whispered to Steve. "So…is it better to be smart than strong?"

Daddy was both. And so was Steve, he supposed, just in a different way.

"No."

Daddy's voice made Jamie spin around in Steve's lap.

"Better to do what is right," Daddy said, cupping Jamie's face with both hands. "Even if it's scary."

"Especially when it's scary," Steve said quietly. When Jamie glanced back around, breaking Daddy's hold, Steve smiled sadly at him and moved as if to get up but Daddy held out a hand.

"I need a shower," he said quietly. "Would you mind staying with him until I'm done?"

Steve stared at him for a long time. "You don't have to," he said, which made no sense at all.

Daddy glanced between them and nodded. "I know."

So they sat on the sofa while Daddy showered and Steve finished off the drawing of the thin looking boy in bed while another boy sat by him, reading something with a grin on his face. And when it was finished, Steve stared at it sadly and then leaned back into the sofa with Jamie, holding him quietly.

"Was the boy your friend?"

"Like my brother," Steve replied honestly. "Still see him occasionally. Not as often as I'd like. Someone…they thought the same as the test men. That only strength of body was important. So sometimes I lose him."

"You're Captain America though," Jamie said, wrinkling his nose. "You punched the Hitter."

Steve blinked at him and then burst out laughing. He sobered quickly though and shook his head. "That won't help me."

"Why?"

"Because…" Steve looked up as Daddy came back in the room. "Do you know, I'm not even sure how I could help him. I just…one day he'll wake up and realise what he's lost and I don't know…" he trailed off again when he looked up and Jamie squirmed to see Daddy staring at them with a strange look on his face.

"Rough day then?" Daddy asked sitting on the arm. "Is Adam-"

"Fine. With Sam. Never saw a thing. As far as he's concerned, Sam decided to take him out for Ice cream and waffles today and to show him off at the VA." Steve considered it for a moment. "Got him two phone numbers so far."

"Kids are babe magnets," Daddy agreed solemnly. His eyes dropped down to Jamie's. "Shall we get you to sleep? You can stay in my room tonight."

Nodding, Jamie sleepily shuffled over to him and then paused to turn back to Steve. "Maybe you just get to be a superhero when you're all three," he decided looking between Daddy and Steve.

"All three?" Steve asked, looking as if he wasn't following.

"Strong and clever and do the right thing." Jamie huffed. "I'm only clever at the moment."

Steve smiled. "Good night, Jamie," he said, leaning into give Jamie a goodnight kiss. "Sleep well."

Mm. Reaching up, he let Daddy pull him up and into his arms. Snuggling into the crook of his neck, he frowned when Daddy bent down.

"In case the spoiled brat decides to use my clothes as a tissue again," Daddy said and Jamie could hear Steve snort.

"Nat found the security footage," Steve said with a grin in his voice. "It's Clint's screen saver."

"You're all paying rent," Tony called as he walked them out of the room. "Starting tomorrow. Swear to God."


	7. Drink

Being the smallest sucked!

Adam was with Steve and Bucky again which was fine because Bucky was rubbish but Daddy had been away across in somewhere called Europe about some designs and, despite the fact that he would skype in every night, Bruce was boring without anyone else around.

He woke about around midnight not really sure why. Curious, Jamie padded out and peered around the hallway and then let out a shriek of delight.

Daddy was home!

He was on the sofa, tie loose and top button undone with a glass in his hand. He lifted his head at Jamie's noise and scraped a hand over his face then let out a huff when Jamie threw himself into the man's lap and tried to bury into his chest.

"You should be in bed, kid."

Jamie squinted up and then wrinkled his nose at the smell around him. "It's been boring without you," Jamie whined. "I missed you."

"Yeah?" Daddy asked and, with a sigh, he wrapped an arm around Jamie (finally) keeping his glass in the hand that was stretched out along the back of the sofa.

"Mm," Jamie said as he shifted so that he was face level with Daddy. It was strange being this close to him; he could see the flecks in his brown eyes and the lines in his face. There were the faintest traces of dark rings around his eyes and Jamie pressed his finger to them thoughtfully.

Underneath was a bruise that was just starting to purple.

"You got hit," Jamie decided, sitting back on his heels to stare up at Daddy solemnly. Thinking about it, he started to inspect the man's arm and could find more mottled bruises going up and down like paint smatterings on his skin. "A lot." He stared up at Daddy. "Did you not train properly?"

Daddy let out a snort. "You are spending too much time with Steve," he said, eying Jamie up. He winced as he shifted and Jamie tilted his head.

He was hurt. Someone had hurt his Daddy and physically too.

"Who did it?" Jamie asked because Adam was good at fighting and Jamie could usually sneak a knife in and use it when no-one suspected it.

Daddy chuckled. "Sorry tiny assassin. No can do. I took care of it. And still made my meeting," he sighed. "Imagine Pepper had a heart attack."

That didn't sound good. Jamie hummed, puzzled but accepted that nothing seemed to be wrong. "Can I try your drink?"

Something strange crossed Daddy's face as he turned his head stiffly to look at his glass. His knuckles turned white on the glass and then he let out a long breath and curled his arm around Jamie. "Do I seem…different to you?"

It was a strange question. "You've got bruises," he said honestly. "You don't usually. And you have circles," he added, tracing one with his fingers. "Did you put eyeshadow on wrong?"

He knew about eyeshadow. Kitty Morgan had stolen some from her Mummy last week.

A gently hand smoothed his hair. "You don't feel worried or…scared?"

Jamie considered it. "No," he decided and then waited for the next question.

Daddy shifted a bit until they were laying on the sofa and Jamie was laying on him, snuggled under his chin. They were still sat up a little bit and Daddy took a sip of his drink again. "Try then," Daddy said softly. "See what you think."

Jamie had a small sip and then stuck his tongue out. "That's gross," he complained. "You should have chocolate milk instead."

Daddy chuckled. "Probably. You might like it when you get older."

That opened up some interesting possibilities. "Did you like it when you were my age?"

"No." Now Daddy's voice sounded different. "My old man drank. He used to become…different. Angry." His grip tightened around Jamie. "You tell me if you ever feel like that. I don't want you to grow up like I did."

"You turned out okay," Jamie decided seriously which made Daddy grin.

"Guess so, kid," he said, ruffling Jamie's hair. "You sleeping here then?"

"You can't sleep here," Jamie huffed. "Bruce said you get bad backs on the sofa."

"Bruce sucks," Daddy answered sleepily. "We'll show him."

They really didn't. The next morning, Daddy got ribbed by everyone and Jamie gave up in the middle of the night and went back to his bed where it was warm. He wasn't stupid.


	8. Dancing

"Where're the brats?" Tony asked as he entered the lift and took off his sunglasses with a groan.

"Master Adam is in the training rooms with Agent Barton. Master Jamie is with Agent Romonoff and Commander Wilson."

Say what?

Not the usual place for the youngest to go after school, Tony thought as he stepped out at the penthouse. Still, he was up for peace and quiet and he wasn't gonna argue with that.

"Dr Banner," Jarvis said suddenly just as Tony was about to flop down on the sofa, "Is requesting your presence."

No.

"Dr Banner is lazy," Tony said. "Dr Banner can cope-"

"I would recommend you take him up on the offer. I do not belief a recording will be the same."

Huh.

Okay…

The reason was clear the moment he got out the elevator. Music was blaring out but Clint and Adam were standing still, Clint behind Adam, chin on the boy's head as he grinned. Bruce was stood at the side, a hand over his mouth and eye lighting up when he spotted Tony.

In the middle of the mats were Sam, Natasha, Steve and Jamie. Dancing.

His son's face was alight with joy as he copied the adults and hell how much would that video make on Youtube? It seemed to be some sort of routine that Jamie must have been learning for most of the afternoon because he was getting it almost perfect, little face grinning and red.

To the side, almost in the shadows, Barnes was watching too, his face emotionless.

"Final performance," Sam called and Jamie glanced up, grinned and then schooled his face into such a serious expression that Tony was half sure it was cutest thing in the world.

Mostly sure. There might be a really cute cat clip out there somewhere.

For a moment he was sure they were doing some well-known routine because it seemed familiar and then suddenly he could see the moves as if they were sped up and holy fuck, the three of them were taking Jamie through a training drill, just really well disguised.

And Jamie was loving it.

"I did it," he suddenly shrieked and broke ranks to fly not to Tony but over to Clint and Adam. "Boom," he yelled making a through down motion at Adam and Clint suddenly seemed to find the ceiling fascinating.

"I can do that," Adam scoffed and for a moment Tony wondered if the kid had realised what the dance actually was. But no, the kid stomped over to the adults and then looked a little nervous at a routine he could do sped up and in his sleep.

"I'll show you," Jamie shrieked and raced back over, throwing Tony a cursory wave and no, that wasn't happening, the kid was meant to pay him at least a little bit of attention. Darting forward, he scooped Jamie up and then sat straight down with him on his lap as Jamie howled with laughter.

"Brat," Tony greeted. He nodded at Adam. "Have a quick practise while I deal with this monster."

"No," Jamie yelled, but he was grinning like a lunatic and let out another shout of laughter when Clint suddenly swopped down and started to tickle the little boy. For a few seconds he was all arms and legs flailing around and it was a good job the kid hadn't inherited the super serum.

"Quick Adam", Clint yelled. "Before the monster recovers."

Glancing up, he could see Steve taking Adam through the moves, the pair of them laughing while Sam and Natasha led each other through what might well be a be a damned impressive tango.

"Daddy," Jamie whined, wriggling so he could see Tony's face and then, for a moment, his whole vision was engulfed by big steel blue eyes, sprinkled freckles across a button nose and the large gap at the front of his mouth where his tooth was currently missing.

There weren't words for how much he loved the spoiled little boy.

Clint flopped onto his back and then twisted to watch Steve and Adam. Taking advantage, Tony hauled Jamie close and sat with him, breathing in the smell of his son and wow, did that hit him sometimes because he wasn't sure he'd ever loved anything so fiercely in all his life.

As the track started again, the four of them on the mats started the routine and Adam was picking it up which wasn't surprising given the frequency he did the drill.

"Adam's gonna be the best," Jamie announced proudly in Tony's ear.

Gonna be. Well…wasn't that something to ponder. These two when they were older. Adam probably becoming an Avenger and whoa did that make him want to gather Adam into his arms and hide him for a few years. And Jamie?

Yeah, probably not Jamie. Though what the hell Jamie would end up doing, Tony had no fucking clue. Probably renowned play boy and Tony wasn't even sure if he'd mind that.

Jamie should enjoy life; God knew he'd had a shitty start.

And when the music finished and the routine was over, it was Tony that had both boys breathless and giggling in his lap looking all the world like normal happy kids.

Take that Barnes.


	9. Birthday

They were a strange thing and Jamie wasn't exactly sure that he got what they were really about. Jarvis said it was to mark how long you'd been alive, but Jamie had been alive for seven years and eight months and no-one had ever brought it up before. Clint said it was when people celebrated you, but Jamie pretty much got what he wanted every day so that wasn't exactly unusual.

No. Birthdays were strange. Milly Williams in his class had a birthday and then had cried when Jamie hadn't reminded her that it was her birthday by telling her happy birthday even though she had known it was her birthday.

Maybe it was just because she was a girl. They were strange too. He didn't really see many girls except at school. And Natasha didn't count because she was a woman. Tony had said so and then had hidden after throwing her a strange grin. And Pepper was Miss Potts to people and ran companies and maybe the world because Tony muttered about that sometimes.

He supposed it just hadn't occurred to him that other people in his family might have birthdays. Not until Pepper took him and Adam aside and Jarvis agreed to pretend he hadn't seen something.

"You need to write in this," she said and handed them a bright card.

Adam was still glancing at the ceiling warily. "Why?" he asked, shifting a bit closer to Jamie.

"It's Tony's birthday soon."

Jamie bit at his thumb nail. "What do we write?" he asked, curious.

"A special message," she said, smiling encouragingly. "On people's birthdays, it's a day where we can tell them how much they mean to us."

She told them that they both had to write their own message. Picking up the pen, Jamie wriggled closer and stuck his tongue between his teeth because that always helped him to stay neat.

"You can't read it," he told Adam once he'd finished and as he handed over the pen. "It's my message."

"You're so annoying," Adam muttered as he folded the card over so that he couldn't see the page that Jamie had written in. "And you can't read mine," he added suspiciously.

But he wanted to read Adam's. Jamie let out a small whine when Pepper put her hand on his shoulder to keep him from crowding Adam and glancing over his shoulder.

When they'd finished, she slid the card in an envelope and closed it up. Then she tapped at something on her phone. Less than a minute later, there was Happy there with something in a huge bag.

"Now for the present," Pepper said with a glint in her eyes.

Xxx

When he'd been twenty three, he'd had a week long birthday party that had involved too much sex, drink and drugs…well…too much now. At that age it had been the best party ever. By thirty that had…yeah no that hadn't lost its shine.

After Afghanistan it had. The first year after he'd become Iron Man had been him and Rhodey, up all night and fixing the world like the old men they were no-where near becoming.

Being an Avenger had changed it again. Not that he and the gang sat by a fire and sang camp songs or braided each-others' hair, but he'd had respect and Nick Fury barking down the phone at him and Pepper-

Now he had a seven year old peering down at him the week before his birthday, waking him up because Jamie was not quiet, graceful, or considerate.

It made him jump; going from deep sleep one moment to Jamie squinting at him in annoyance the next.

"Jesus, what is wrong with you?" Tony muttered as he got his breath back. "Seriously? Is something wrong? You've never-"

"You're old," Jamie decided out of no-where.

Honestly, no-one had ever really said it to him. They might think it, but never say it. He didn't act old; he acted more immature than most of his team mates.

To make matters worse, the brat pressed a hand forward and traced what Tony suspected might be a few of the lines on his face. And yeah, okay, the kid could try beating up bad guys, taking care of two kids and keeping a company afloat by knocking out tech that-

Yeah, he did that for fun. Probably not best to add that in.

"And you've come here to ruin my morning because?" Tony asked, shifting to sit up.

Jamie blinked in confusion, nose wrinkling. "You're forty five next week," he said in an awed whisper, like that amounted to Tony being a thousand.

"Steve's ninety six," Tony snapped.

Jamie's mouth dropped open and he mouthed the numbers to himself. The expression was so stunned that Tony let out a huffed laugh and sunk back into the pillows.

Of course, the kid took that as an invitation to crab walk over and then nuzzle himself under Tony's arm and wriggle close. Tony let himself be moved and poked at until Jamie was comfortable and Tony was decidedly not as comfortable as he had been pre Jamie.

There was a suspicious silence for the next four minutes and Tony closed his eyes, pretending he didn't care. By the time they entered the fifth minute, he relented.

"What?"

"Am I meant to keep secrets from you?" Jamie asked quietly. He tilted his head to Tony, looking a little worried. "Pepper said it had to be a birthday surprise."

"Shush," Tony said, closing his eyes and trying desperately not to smile. "It's the one secret that you have to keep from me. Pepper was right."

"Oh." Jamie wriggled again and then let out a long sigh. "But I wanna tell you now," he whined.

"Shush," Tony said again. "Or I'll call you a suck up."

The weirdest things worked on that kid.

Xxx

Forty five. He hadn't really thought about the actual age (he'd stopped counting years ago and when you were as rich as he was everyone agreed to stop counting at the same time).

Unless of course you were an Avenger who had just adopted a kid, was legally responsible for another one and had had the shit kicked out of you six weeks ago. And the media had suddenly realised that they had to wait for any of them to have an anniversary and so, yeah.

There was stuff on TV. And the first time he really registered that apart from Pepper muttering something as she asked him to sign off on some documentary, was when Adam and Jamie were glued to it the following day and he heard his own voice declare he was Iron Man before it was drowned out by the shriek of reporters from that day.

"From this point on, Tony Stark was barely out of the news," said the voiceover man and wow did all those guys sound the same and-

Nonononononono.

"What is this?" he asked, staring at it in horror.

"It's about you," Jamie squeaked, peering over the sofa. "And it's not the boring news. It's a proper tv show."

There was so much wrong with that.

"Tony was always so confident," a woman named Melissa said and he narrowed his eyes, half sure he kinda remembered her.

"Even with the scars and the reactor in his chest he still-"

They'd had sex. That was it.

Of course that was it.

"Jarvis," Tony said, trying not to listen as she went on to describe their 'connection'. "Turn this off."

The screen went blank and both boys whirled to glare at him and oh, he hated it when they both gave him the same 'how could you?' look.

"You were captured," Adam said, a scowl on his face.

"I-"

"You built robots," Jamie said.

"Yes," he said, pointing at Adam. "And oh god, where have you been looking when you come to the workshop?" he said, pointing at Jamie.

"Are they dead?" Adam demanded.

"Yes."

"The robots?" Jamie asked, sounding upset.

"No." Tony stopped himself and scrubbed his hands over his face. "No, you don't need to go and do any Avenging," he said to Adam, "and you just no," he said shaking his head at Jamie.

Jamie spun to Adam and they had one of those conversations without words that Tony really wished he could develop the technology to hear.

"Did you really have a hole in your chest?" Jamie asked, suddenly sounding terribly young.

Relenting a little because Adam was staring wide eyed at him too, he walked over and sat down with them both. "Here," he said, lifting up his t-shirt so they could see the surgical scars over the area. "You know how Iron Man has the reactor in his chest? Well, it used to be in my chest too. It was part of how I powered the suits."

Jamie ran a hand over the raised scars and traced the circle. "They said you almost died."

"I didn't." And really, that was kind of all he could offer them. Adam was staring at the scars intently, a frown on his face. He shifted closer and pressed on the skin in the middle, as if to determine if it was really there or whether Tony was lying. Then, without warning, it was him who suddenly leaned in and rested his head in the crook of Tony's shoulder and neck.

It warmed him. He'd been so…not unsure. He didn't do unsure. But maybe…hesitant? Definitely something like that with Adam and the whole situation because the kid called Bucky 'Dad' and had been getting to know him and was quiet so it was sometimes impossible to know what he was thinking. Wrapping an arm around the boy, Tony let himself enjoy the quiet moment.

Well…as long as was possible with brat number two around. Brat number two who had decided to turn on the TV because apparently he was too interested not to.

"You should explain it," Jamie bargained as he turned and wriggled until he was snuggled up on Tony's other side. "Correct them," he added slyly and yeah, the kid knew him far too well.

He was so gonna hear about this for years if any of the others came up and found him educating the boys on his life story.

Xxx

So his actual birthday was spent in the Tower which would have pissed him off a few years ago. Except Rhodey was there and so was Pepper and Happy and his boys. And the kids gave him a card from both of them addressed to Dad and a framed clay cement thing of their footprints.

And the card had messages and at no point in the day did he sneak away to read it again and again on his own.

Didn't happen. Nor were there tears.

Xxx

Daddy,

Pepper said to say what we liked about somewon on there birfday. I like that you are clever and that everyfing is always alrit when you are here. So dont go away again because its boring and I dont like it when you arnt here. Everywon else isnt as good as you.

Thank you for being my daddy.

Jamie. And love you as well.

xxx

Tony

Thank you for making us safe. Thank you for making us happy. Thank you for rescuing us. I like that here people look after us.

Love you.

Adam

Xxx

It must have been a combination of things: getting older, having the boys, being Iron Man, but he found himself in a suit just before midnight and flying out to the graves.

Leaving the suit in sentry mode, he stepped out and stood, staring down at the stone with folded arms.

"I have two boys," he said to the silence. "Jamie and Adam. Didn't exactly plan for kids, but…" he shrugged and frowned down at the stone. "I couldn't figure it out. You guys, me. So late in life. You clearly not really wanting that much to do with me."

Yet that clip, that damned recording of his father saying the words he'd never imagined he'd ever hear. The secret life his father had led with Shield, with Steve, with the war.

He reached for the headstone because…well…he didn't really know why. He could almost imagine his mother's face if she'd lived to be a grandmother now. Two unruly children probably would have given her pause at first, but she'd have battled through, he thought. And his father, well…

"They're Barnes'," he heard himself say.

And then he heard it again. The words, the confession, the fear.

Even eight months on, Barnes was still recovering. Having days of being unable to talk, of vanishing. Still having his whole 'Jamie isn't mine, Hydra made him' hissy fit.

What if that changed?

"I won't give them up," Tony said to the graves. "I lose Jamie and I've lost them both." He let out a bitter laugh. "See, you didn't know how good you had it, never having to battle for your son."

Except…Jarvis had been there. And he'd adored Jarvis.

It seemed childish to hope that his father had felt jealous about that.

_My greatest creation is you._

He hadn't created his sons. And that's was what they were, he thought straightening up.

His sons.

The footsteps he would leave behind.

_His greatest gifts._

He stroked his thumb over the stone one last time, a silent goodbye to the mother he still loved and the father he wasn't sure would understand the difference.


	10. Heirlooms

The house was still standing which was…kinda annoying if Tony was being honest. Mainly because the sight of it always made him feel weird. It was hard to know what to do with a mansion that he was meant to keep and care about because it was his family home.

Well, it had been before he'd had kids.

Speaking of, Jamie was already starting to crawl through the gap between the front seats, head already craning to see through the window while Adam sighed and then huffed as Jamie's hands smushed over his face for purchase.

"It's got gates," Jamie said, squinting. "Are there prisoners?"

Adam snorted. "Not with those gates," he said, peering past Tony and then looking up with the same confused look as Jamie. "Why are we here?" he asked.

"This is where I grew up," Tony admitted and then rolled his eyes when Jamie tried to wriggle further through the gap.

"Did they make you in there?" Jamie asked.

Ick. Gross. "No…well…no." Tony grinned at Adam. "You wanna see?"

There was a nervous nod, and Adam unbuckled his seatbelt. Both of them opened the car doors slowly, looking around, but Jamie almost threw himself through and needed to have the collar of his t-shirt grabbed before he went hurtling off.

There was always something about the weather here. It always seemed grey and windy, like tumbleweeds might start blowing across the road or ghosts might walk by.

Probably died of boredom or waiting for someone to notice them.

A casual click of the keys locked the car as they made their way through the gate. It was more formidable than it seemed to be but a quick recognition programme fixed that and they went through and up the front path.

He could almost see himself – a solitary small figure clutching to Jarvis' hand and with no-one to greet him at the door. But now there was Jamie, escaping his clutches to run ahead and then Adam chasing after him like a momma bear.

Having a brother might have been okay, Tony guessed as he slid the panel by the doorbell back and entered in the code.

The foyer was the same echoing cavern that he remembered, not helped by the dust sheets that were there to keep the priceless furniture spotless. It wasn't just him, Tony thought as Jamie slowed to a halt and looked around as if suddenly unsure.

"It's quiet," Adam said, his voice low but oddly loud in the house. "You lived here?"

Yeah. Stepping forward, Tony put his hands on Adam's shoulders and looked around. "Why do you think I always have music on when I work?"

It was a bit more than he'd usually share but…but yeah, he knew what it was like when adults kept secrets from the kids.

Anything to avoid being Howard, right?

"Come on," he said. "We're having a scrounge." He held out his hand to Jamie who reached back for it absently, fingers back in his mouth and suddenly quiet.

Kid got like that sometimes. Without rhyme or reason. So all Tony did was tug Jamie a little closer, and then set them to work.

Xxx

Pepper turned up about half an hour later with Happy and Rhodey. By that point, Jamie was out of his funk and ran across the hall screeching to throw himself up at Rhodey because 'they shared the same name sort of and he wasn't grumpy'.

Kids, right?

Rhodey, to his credit, caught the brat and lifted him up in the air.

"You make him hurl and you deal with it," Tony called as he sat back on his heels. Adam and he had been cleaning out a cabinet which had some photograph albums that Tony vaguely remembered his Mom had kept. "How's the pile going?"

Pepper huffed as she walked over, dressed in her business wear. The kids had seen her like this a few times now, but they both still glanced down at her shoes as if considering whether to be afraid or not.

It was so twisted up that he couldn't decode the right way to set their fears at ease.

"The pile being the potential charities that would love to get their hands on this place? There's still a huge pile, Tony. You need to make it smaller."

"Is this you?" Adam asked peering down and whoa, the kid had a photo album. In the corner of his eye, Tony could see Happy making a fuss of Jamie while the kid preened like a cat in Rhodey's arms.

Spoiled.

Good.

"No," Tony lied, wincing at the fashion because wow had there been a few bad decades. "No. That's a cousin."

Pepper leaned over and smiled, amused. "That's Tony," she said with such certainty that he narrowed his eyes.

"What?" she asked. "I had to organise publicity for you. I know what your embarrassing photos look like."

He had not known that. "I'm sorry, say what?" Tony asked, leaning forward and feeling a little panicked. "You've seen all my pictures?"

"Baby ones," Pepper said and that smile wasn't fading. "Teenager, student. Your playboy days, but then a lot of people have seen that."

Yeah so he might need to double check the block on the search the boys could do on him.

Adam glanced between them and then flicked through some more pages. When he looked up, his expression was baffled. "Is this your folder?" he asked.

"No," Tony said and wow did the smile fall from Pepper's face quickly. Reaching over, he pulled Adam over and close. "Look," he said, pulling his phone out. "I do this." The house wasn't equipped like the tower, so the projection wasn't as clear or as large as usual. But it did let Adam see the folders – one for him, one for Jamie, one for them together. Pictures, drawings, messages about the kids.

Adam blinked at it all and then stared at him. "Why?"

Why? "Because…because you'll be all grown up one day and I want to remember you as a kid. Show you off to those girlfriends or boyfriends or aliens that you bring home."

There wasn't much reaction, but what there was made Tony smile because Adam ducking his head and leaning in a little was enough to let him know that the kid was really touched.

A loud shriek rang out as Jamie laughed at Happy, the pair of them miming a boxing match and Happy being over dramatic whenever Jamie scored a hit. Rhodey was calling out advice to Jamie with a grin that faded when he caught Tony's eyes. His eyes flicked to Adam pointedly and Tony nodded because it was fixed and sorted.

"What should this place be?" he asked Adam.

Adam's fingers touched the album again. "Somewhere where people can get one of these," he said after a moment and then frowned, as if unsure how to vocalise what he was thinking.

"Yeah," Tony said, pulling Adam a little closer.

Seemed somehow fitting for his Mom's memory.

By the time Clint showed up, Jamie and Adam were learning how to slide down the huge stairs on a mattress and the archer stood in the doorway, gaping before he grinned and leaned against the wall.

"Fuck me, they look like normal kids," he said to Tony.

"Rhodey and I are gonna head down into the basement. If they get bored, take 'em home, would you? Just let me know."

Clint nodded, still watching as Pepper explained to the kids to hold on tight before she let them go down from a slightly higher step.

"I'm weirdly surprised that she's encouraging them."

"It's me," Tony said with a grin. "Next to me, even the wildest person looks pretty tame." He winked and then laughed when Clint gave him the finger.

The basement door had always been locked when he'd been a kid. He'd explored some of it when his parents had first died, but that had been part of a booze fuelled search to find some answers for, well, anything. Any of it.

This time when he went in, he had Rhodey on his six. The door was metal, heavy and had taken ages to decrypt because Howard Stark had known his shit.

There was a mostly empty bottle of JD on the floor that was probably his and boxes everywhere like a tornado had gone through it.

"You don't make things easy," Rhodey said with a sigh as he stepped into the room and looked around. "Do you remember anything?"

"Yeah," Tony said, marching over to the bookshelf and pulling one of the shelves. It opened up easily like the hinges were being oiled every day. "I remember this."

'This' was another door: heavy duty and thick as hell and Tony hadn't managed to decrypt it when he'd been in his twenties. Had lost interest in his thirties. Had been Iron Man after that.

"That gonna take long?" Rhodey asked after a moment. "I heard Happy mention a pizza party so if this is gonna take a while-"

"Who are you talking to?" Tony asked with a doubtful look. Cracking his knuckles, he stepped closer and smiled down at the circuits he'd exposed last time. "Piece of cake."

It took an hour.

So his Dad had been a little bit smart. Or really fucking dumb as it turned out.

There were steps beyond the door. No light.

At the bottom, it booted up. And there, against the wall, was what looked like a fucking robot.

Powering up.

He reached for his cell even as Rhodey swore up a storm. "I haven't got the fucking suit," he snarled, stepping back.

"Call Clint," Tony instructed, tossing his cell, even as he surged towards the robot. "I'll see if I can shut it down."

"Not without a suit, Tony. Tony. Not without a-"

Was Rhodey kidding right now? His sons were upstairs. No way was this thing getting past him.

Xxx

Jamie wasn't entirely sure what was happening.

The afternoon had gone wickedly well (He wasn't sure how 'wicked' meant both good and bad, but he'd seen it on an old TV show and liked it and then it seemed to make Tony and Clint laugh so he'd kept it up).

Anyway, they'd gone to Tony's house where he'd been kept as a kid so maybe it was his lab, except there were no cages or experiment rooms. Instead, there were dusty statues he could climb and nice people kept turning up.

Then Pepper showed them how to slide down the staircase on the mattress and life had become so good that Jamie had felt fluttering butterflies in his belly from the sheer joy of it. He and Adam had howled with laughter as they went skiing down and Pepper had even climbed on with them. So had Clint, though more often he stood at the bottom and Jamie was sure that if anything happened he'd catch them.

He was the one who said that he never missed anything.

Daddy had vanished with Uncle Rhodey but that was okay because they were grown-ups and sometimes Daddy needed grown up time otherwise he might have his brain pour out his ears.

Distantly, very distantly, there were shouts and Adam turned his head as they landed and Jamie felt a sudden thud of fear. Scrambling up, he stared at the doorway which Daddy and Uncle Rhodey had gone through.

"Come on," Clint said, wrapping an arm around him. "Shall we-"

"Something's wrong," Adam breathed. "They're shouting."

They were. He could hear the faintest noise and it was making him feel worried and Clint's face wrinkled and he glanced down the hall and then back up at Pepper who had stood and was looking serious.

"Take the boys…" Clint trailed off and then swore.

"You take the boys," Pepper said firmly. "I'll go and see. Normal lines if there's a problem?"

Clint hummed and then seemed to admit defeat and picked Jamie up, holding out a hand for Adam who was blinking between them.

Then dashed off, towards the door and faster than either Clint or Pepper could catch.

"Fucking hell," Clint snarled and the noise he made was of pure frustration. "Public life and private life, Stark. There's a fucking reason why I keep them separate." He turned for the door as Pepper ran after Adam.

No.

Adam.

Jamie screamed, reaching out for his brother and he needed him; he couldn't not have him close and Clint wavered for a moment and then they were at the car and Jamie was inside it.

"Jarvis," Clint said, his breathing ragged. "Safety protocals?"

"Engaged, sir," Jarvis said seriously. "He needs comfort-"

"I need to get Adam," Clint said roughly. "Call the team-"

"Miss Potts has already done so."

Clint swore again and then he was gone, the car closed around Jamie and he curled up in the corner, fear still racing around him and he couldn't stop shaking.

What if they didn't come back? What if no-one came and got him? What if it all went away? What if they died and he was left alone again?

The words circled around and he was alone. He was alone again. His brother had gone again and the world had vanished.

It seemed to take forever before someone was in the car with him, gently whispering something but he didn't want them and he screamed every time they came near; kicked out when there was contact and could still hear the gentle calming presence that seemed to be trying to help.

Then Adam was there and Jamie curled up into his brother, miserable but everything was safe and calm again and the fear was draining away from him until he could concentrate on things again. On his brother's soot stained t-shirt and the slightly damp shoulder from a wound, the slightly damp back from sweat.

A hesitant hand stroked his head and, when he peeked, it was Bruce looking worried. Pepper was close by, hands over her mouth and eyes shadowed with worry as she stood by the car.

"It's okay, Jamie," Bruce was whispering over and over again. "It's okay. We're here."

Jamie tightened his grip on his brother and pressed his face into Adam again because it was the only real safe place, the only place he could truly hide and be protected and he forgot that sometimes with Daddy, but Adam was always there and always-

Where was Daddy?

Lifting his head, he scanned the house and it was smoking and there were thunderous noises coming from inside.

"Pepper," Bruce said quietly. "Drive them back."

She turned and then shook her head. "I don't know if Tony got the suit," she whispered.

"I can go down," Bruce said firmly. "I can help, but I can't do that if I need to keep them safe. Go straight to the tower and do not stop for anything. The minute anything seems suspicious, Jarvis will alert us and we'll come after you, but, for now, they need to-"

Bruce broke off as the roof seemed to crumble a little and there was a tremendous boom.

Xxxx

It took a while for Tony to wake up. There was the faint sound of a machine beeping to his side and it was brighter than was ideal.

"Jarvis," he croaked. "Kill the lights."

"You are in the medical bay, sir."

Oh. Opening his eyes, Tony stared at the unfamiliar ceiling and then tilted his head to look at the machinery around him and the distinct lack of people.

Ungrateful fuckers.

"You got a damage report?"

"You have multiple fractures in your ribs. Your left arm has been broken in two places. Severe lacerations to the shoulder and neck. You had a head wound but the doctor-"

Jamie and Adam.

Jesus.

"The boys, where are-" Tony was already scrambling up out of the bed and then hissed when his wounds made his head swirl. "Jarvis?"

"They are both upstairs," and yeah, that should be fine except for the hesitation in Jarvis' voice.

"Where-" Tony broke off as Pepper appeared, eyes wet and looking relieved as she rushed over to him.

"You idiot," she hissed at him and she pushed him back down and he went because it was beyond unexpected and then her lips found his.

Christ, he'd missed this. Pepper in his arms, the way she kissed, the smell of her, the feel of her. It was so right. It was always so right.

"You didn't have the suit," she whispered at him, eyes still brimming as she pulled back to look at him. "You could have died."

"I-" Tony broke off when trying to lift his left arm made him remember exactly why he shouldn't be moving it. "I didn't," he said, stroking her hair back with his right hand. "You all right?"

She nodded.

"And the boys?"

There was a hesitation and it made his heart stop because Adam had come hurtling down the stairs just as that fucking robot thing had erupted out of its basement hidey hole and Tony had been half screaming at Adam to leave and half trying to deactivate the damned thing. And then Clint had come in, yelling something about Jamie, and Adam had disappeared like a shot.

"Where are they?" he asked, redoubling his efforts to get up and out of the bed.

"In Jamie's room," Pepper said softly. "They…Jamie's not doing well. He, Dr Mira said that he's having a flash back and he can't seem to shake it loose."

Shit. He was already out and Pepper was backing off, watching him closely but not fighting him. "How long have I been out?"

"Six hours."

Incredulous, he stared at her, half sure he couldn't have heard that right because ten hours for an episode like that was surely far too long.

"And Adam?"

"Not much better," she said as they walked to the elevator.

That was a fucking underestimation.

Tony stood by the wall where most of the Avengers seem to have gathered. Steve was on his knees by the bed, talking softly while Barnes hunkered in the darkest corner watching intently. Both Clint and Bruce sat close looking worried and they'd probably been switching it up.

Rhodey, Tony found out, was still out. His head injury had been more severe.

On the bed was Jamie and Adam or so he assumed because he could barely see his youngest son. Adam was curled around him tightly and there were tremors racing through the boy.

"Anything working?" Tony asked softly.

"No," Bruce said frankly, scraping a hand over his face. "We've been taking it in turns. They haven't even eaten."

Right, well, none of them were the primary caregiver by state law so… Tony eased himself down and Steve backed off a little bit, eyes flickering over Tony's injuries before he fixated on the boys again, his mouth a firm white line.

Reaching out with his good arm and wincing when his ribs protested, Tony stroked Adam's hair gently and leaned over so that he was close to Adam's ear and could actually catch a glimpse of Jamie's messy hair.

"Safe," he whispered. "Come on, kid. It's safe. Promise."

It wasn't immediate and that would have been so cool if it had been because he could have been the undisputed Daddy and wow had Jamie ruined that for him, but slowly Adam eased a little bit until, almost ten minutes later, he turned red-rimmed blue eyes to Tony.

"Safe," he whispered back and then shifted a little and seemed to hiss before he closed his eyes. Jamie moved a little and made a strange noise.

Tony risked shifting and his stupid broken arm meant he couldn't reach out to Jamie, but he could keep up the weird mantra until slowly both boys had turned into him and were shaking a little against him instead of on their own.

His back was fucking killing him. And his knees. He couldn't really look behind him, but both the kids started to fall asleep slowly until there were baby snores echoing from the bed.

With some care and because apparently becoming a parent meant that this was your skill set, Tony managed to manoeuvre himself out from their grasp without waking them up and turned to face Steve and Barnes.

Barnes who was still staring at Adam with an unfathomable expression and Steve who was leaning against the wall, sat on the floor and was looking as if he was miles away.

"Your dad," Clint said and wow, Tony hadn't realised he was still there in the corner on Adam's chair, "is a dick."

No arguments here. Half daring Steve to respond, Tony shrugged. "You know, where else would you store a weaponised robot?"

Barnes snarled something suddenly and stormed out of the room because he was a melodramatic shit and then Steve sighed and levered himself up.

"You going chasing after him? Ooh, wait till he gets to some flower field and then you can run towards each other-"

"Good night, Tony," Steve said with far too much patience for Tony's liking. "I'll send Bruce in to have a look at that arm."

"Why? He's really not a doctor. You need to get your head around this, old man." But his words were lost as Steve disappeared through the door and left him and Clint alone.

"What happened?" Tony asked after a while, studying the boys' sleeping faces.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Took Jamie to the car and then he started screaming."

Triggers. "Plough through them, right?" Tony asked, the day catching up with him and making him feel exhausted suddenly.

"On the plus side, how many killer robots programed by your Dad are we gonna come across?"

More than Clint thought, Tony was willing to bet as he stroked Adam's hair with his free hand after a bit of graceless twisting.

"Adam seemed fine in the basement," Tony said suddenly, thinking back.

"Yeah," Clint said, voice suddenly dropping into something far more serious. "Makes you think."

Didn't it just?


	11. Anniversary

It was their anniversary. The twenty second of June. A year since Tony and Natasha had bought the boys home to the tower.

It burned a little that Steve couldn't share that. Still, they'd agreed to have a party as a group.

"See," Clint was saying. "It's in the timing. It's a precise skill."

Steve restrained the urge to smile when Sam nodded patronisingly, arms folded. "Give me the tongs," he ordered.

"It's an important job," Clint started, holding out his hands to calm Sam, tongs and all. "I'm not sure you're ready."

The unimpressed, dead stare that Sam shot him could probably take down an army. "Seriously? You wanna go there? I cooked meat in the desert."

"I've cooked for Natasha," Clint argued.

"They still goin'?" Bucky asked, leaning next to Steve and folding his arms.

"My money's on Sam," Steve said, taking a sip of the beer in his hands.

"It would be," Bucky said, an almost smile on his face. He looked around at the rest of the gathering on the roof and Steve watched him.

The months had been good for Bucky. He had colour in his cheeks now and, wearing clothing other than the body armour, looked more relaxed. Steve was under no illusion though, the man probably had five or six knives hidden on him, but there were unlikely to be any guns so there was that.

There were a few shrieks across the way and Steve glanced over when he saw Bucky's attention had been captured. Jamie, on Rhodey's shoulders was laughing like a maniac, clearly enjoying his superior height over everyone else. Rhodey was holding onto his legs and wincing whenever Jamie wriggled or shifted as if forgetting his seat was a living human being.

When Steve had first caught the look, the slightly curious and haunted look, he'd tried to encourage Bucky to go over. All that ever happened from that was Bucky storming off in the other direction.

Apparently, he wasn't willing to share his thoughts about Jamie yet.

Pepper and Tony were stood close together, his arm around her back as they both took sips of wine and talked quietly, occasionally laughing at Jamie. Steve was under the impression that they'd started something up again but were keeping it very quiet and hidden from the boys, just in case.

At the seating area, Bruce, Happy, Natasha and Adam were playing cards which was Adam's new obsession. There was a fully-fledged game going on between the four and Adam was squinting at the adults as if a hint to their cards might be tattooed in a secret place on their face.

"He's getting big," Bucky said quietly. When Steve looked at him questioningly, Bucky nodded in Adam's direction. "Be a teenager soon."

"Makes me feel old," Steve said after a moment. "Imagining you with a teenage son."

"We are old, pal," Bucky said, shifting against the wall and seemingly enjoying the warmth of the sun. "We should have teenage great grandchildren by now."

"You should," Steve said absently. Then, suddenly aware of the questioning look he shifted. "I'd be long dead with all those medical conditions. Or the fights."

"You'd have stubborned it out," Bucky said. "Or still be Captain America. You and Peggy-"

The smile Steve gave in response was tight and tense and it was getting harder because Bucky was staring to pick up on the signs that he wasn't quite saying everything.

"How is she?" Bucky asked, apparently picking up on some of it.

"She has good days," Steve said thoughtfully. "It's…she forgets. Not who I am, but that I'm…back." He stared down at the beer in his hands. "It's difficult to go through that with her that many times."

A warm hand clasped his shoulder and Steve leaned into it, accepting the sheer familiar Bucky-ness of the gesture.

"Yeah," Bucky said after a moment, fingers squeezing before he let go. For a moment, it seemed as if he was going to ask more, but then he decided to drop it when Sam finally stomped over from Clint and huffed, reaching out for another beer near the fridge that Tony had running on the roof top.

"I take it you're letting him think he's won," Steve said, trying not to smile.

"He's being a dick," Sam said frankly, closing the door with his hip. "Grade A dick."

Bucky smirked and leaned back again, apparently content to relax in the sun. It was obvious that his eyes still sought out Adam, just to check, but the occasional flickered glances at Jamie were less obvious.

It was frustrating. Ever since the incident at the old Stark manor, Tony had been guarded with the boys and had been as determined as ever to keep them by his side. It was understandable, admirable even, Steve could admit that. And if there wasn't anything else at play, then Steve would probably support him in it.

But there was.

It had crossed his mind so many times to say something. To take Tony to one side and say-

How? Tony would kick Bucky out of the tower, bar him from Adam and would he ultimately separate the boys? And if they were right about Jamie-

He tried to shake the thoughts from his head. He refused to treat the boy as if he were a threat, couldn't. Jamie was theirs now, no matter what. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

"I won," Adam announced as he came bounding over to them and wasn't that a sight? Adam had been so quiet, so impossible to read when Steve had first met him. Now, he came close, grinning away and looking at Bucky eagerly for praise.

It was a good day. Bucky grinned back and lifted his flesh arm for Adam to duck under and settle against his side. Dropping the hand down, he ruffled the boy's hair and took another sip of his beer.

"Poker?" Sam asked.

"Go fish," Adam said happily. "I never get past the first round at poker," he added sullenly.

It made Sam laugh and eye up Bruce and Happy who were laughing over something as Natasha shuffled the cards.

"You feel like livin' on the edge?" Steve asked, amused.

Sam winked and then wandered over and the look that Happy gave him indicated that Steve's pal was about to be in for a long haul.

"Still seems weird," Adam was saying to Bucky. "Cooking outside."

"Nah," Bucky said, looking down at his son with a smile. "We used to get hot dogs from the carts. Steve would spend all our money on them."

"You spent all our money on them impressing our dates."

"Didn't hear you complaining," Bucky grinned wolfishly now and it was like it was 1942 again and nothing was wrong. The shadows had vanished from his eyes for a moment and the happy expression made something in Steve relax.

"No, not over how loud she chewed that."

Bucky burst out laughing. "Imagine it," he said to Adam. "Steve, tiny and thin as a rake glaring at this dame who had the biggest-" suddenly he faltered and for the first time it wasn't because of bad memories.

"Biggest?" Steve asked innocently.

"Yeah, Barnes," Clint called as he flipped the burgers. "Biggest?"

Bucky's eyes flicked down to Adam and then looked at Steve pleadingly. His spare hand made an aborted motion to physically show what he's been talking about, but then he seemed to realise that wasn't much better. "Teeth," he said after a moment.

Adam's face scrunched up the way Jamie's did most of the time and god knew they both had to have gotten that from the same person, Steve thought as he watched Bucky.

"Yeah, love a couple of big teeth," Clint called.

Bucky, it seemed, was trying not to laugh and then moved to cover Adam's ears. "You're both shits," he said frankly.

Adam looked even more baffled, mainly because no-one else in the whole building tried to keep bad language from the boys.

xxx

Daddy and Pepper were standing close and it was good to see. The sun on the roof was really bright, like had to squint your eyes bright and the light caught Pepper's hair in a pretty way almost make her look like she had a halo around her.

That would make her into an angel and Daddy should really marry her.

Jamie had learned about marriage because most of the people in the class had a mummy and daddy who were married though there seemed to be lots of different ways to get married. Pepper and Daddy should get married because sometimes they had sleepovers that everyone had to pretend didn't happen.

Uncle Rhodey had carried him around on his shoulders for ages and then had stopped because he'd wanted a beer and a burger. Everyone seemed to be chatting and Adam was with stupid Bucky so Jamie twisted around to weave himself over to Daddy and Pepper.

Pepper wasn't scary anymore. He was allowed to go over to her and snuggle into her hip, hand reaching up to tangle in her loose shirt as he sucked his thumb thoughtfully. After a moment or two, she stroked his hair gently.

"Have you had something to eat?" she asked him.

"No," he whined. "Clint cooked."

"He'd good at barbecuing," Pepper said, still stroking his head.

"No. He's worse than Daddy." Jamie squinted up at her and saw her smile which was nice because she had one of the best smiles.

"I'll remember that when you're next hungry," Daddy muttered as he leaned back to enjoy the sun.

"You have to feed me," Jamie sighed. "It's law. They said at school."

Pepper rumbled under him. "Like father like son," she said, her voice dancing a little. Daddy had lowered his sun glasses and as fixing Jamie with a look.

"You do," Jamie said earnestly. "I have to tell police if you don't."

Daddy nodded. "Right," he said. "So maybe pencil in a lawyer for every time Jamie opens his mouth."

"We have seven for you. I'm sure you can share," Pepper said apparently unconcerned by the conversation. "Speaking of, you still should go over to see Richards' new project."

Daddy groaned. "The space thing, yeah. I just…he…" Daddy trailed off.

"Is younger than you and possible more intelligent."

Oooh. Jamie blinked up at her impressed. "Daddy isn't old and he's the most cleverest," he said and then purposefully rolled his eyes so everyone could see. "Everyone has to say or they pay rent."

Pepper looked at Daddy again who stared down at Jamie. "See, Richards," Daddy said after a moment, "he couldn't keep up with either of us in this."

"Neither can you," Pepper said and then steered Jamie around. "Come on. Let's go and pass judgement on Clint's cooking."

That he could definitely do.


	12. Secrets

There was a familiar weight on his back and it was familiarly annoying. Especially because it wasn't long since he'd gone to sleep.

"Jamie," Adam huffed, opening his eyes to glare at the pillow under him. "Get off."

As per frickin' usual, his brother didn't listen but instead wriggled and shifted. "Guess what?" Jamie said from above him.

He was soooo irritating. Adam moved and it would have been easy to throw Jamie off, but then he would have hurt his brother and that wasn't allowed to happen. And all of that just made Jamie even more annoying.

"Get off," Adam said again, feeling frustration start to well up within him. Thankfully, Jamie sighed and then rolled off so that they were side by side and Adam shifted so that they were face to face. Jamie's freckles were scattered over his nose and his eyes were wide and awake and so much like Dad's that Adam never really understood anything about their situation because, if you looked at everyone in the tower, Jamie and Dad were the two that you definitely would have said were related.

"It's our birthday soon," Jamie said, shifting a little closer.

Birthdays. That was a strange and new concept to get his head around. The fact that it wasn't an acknowledgement that you'd survived to live into the next year, but rather a celebration with gifts and good food still seemed strange.

Jamie's face was sad as he shifted again on his pillow. "Daddy thinks that we should have birthdays on different days," he whispered.

It would mean having a day when everyone's eyes were on him, where he was the spoiled one for a change. But Adam reached out for his little brother and snuggled into him so that they were both tightly packed together.

He didn't want to be separated from Jamie in another way.

Xxx

Before they'd come to the tower, Adam could remember a glass wall that sometimes would be between him and Jamie. They they'd press their hands against the glass when it was time for lights out and that Jamie would pull faces through the glass because it made Adam giggle a little and feel something like a lightness in his belly.

And then there would be the crawling terror when Jamie had been gone for too long and he'd know, somehow he'd always known that Jamie was being hurt.

He'd hated it.

He woke and Jamie had gone and for a moment he was lost between memories because it was the tower and it was safe but Jamie was gone and people didn't want them to share a birthday and what if one day someone took Jamie and he never came back-

He screamed.

Barrelling out of the room he crashed into Jamie's just as the light down the hall clicked on and then he was crawling onto Jamie in a bizarre parody of Jamie's earlier annoying actions and curling up to reassure himself.

Jamie blinked his eyes open and just rolled into him, barely awake but happy to comply anyway.

It happened sometimes, he knew that. He knew that Tony just waited it out but would sit close and would sometimes reach out a hand for him and then drop it if Adam flinched away. He didn't this time and he heard something like a relieved exhale before Tony settled close.

"Bad dream?"

Adam nodded and then looked up at him, the silhouette of Tony against the light of the hall making him seem different in some way. "We want to have the same birthday," he said firmly.

"You…." Tony tilted his head and then nodded. "Okay," he said, not sounding like he got it and there would be follow up questions with the therapist or with Steve or Sam because those two were the ones that talked with him about that stuff. "Does Jamie feel the same way?"

Adam nodded.

"Okay," Tony said again and stroked Adam's hair. "You have any idea what you want?"

What he wanted? Adam shook his head and buried closer into Jamie because the question made him feel unsteady.

He fell asleep with Tony's hand stroking his hair and Jamie snoring against his neck.

Xxx

His Dad was different.

There was something about him that was safer in a way. There was something in Adam that knew what power looked like, that still believed that the ultimate ability to be safe was being the person who could take down as many hostiles as possible and his Dad could do that.

His dad would do that.

He wandered down to his Dad's floor, the one he shared with Steve and poked his head around. Dad and Steve were sat at the table talking quietly and the table looked like it had been clenched by a hand.

They both swung their gazes around because he would never ever manage to sneak up on either of them. Steve sat back in his chair while Dad got up and walked over, his face tight like he'd eaten a lemon.

"Tony said you'd had a bad night," Dad said, stopping before him, his eyes scanning Adam. "How are you feeling?"

Adam nodded, not really sure why he thought that was an okay answer but doing it anyway. "Jamie said Tony wanted to separate our birthdays," he said, scuffing his foot on the floor and kinda guessing because if Jamie knew then it probably meant Tony had told him.

"It might be good for you-" Steve started.

"No," Adam said firmly and then looked at Dad who was still watching him. "We've always been aged together."

The sour look got worse and Dad raised his eyes to glare at the door before he made an odd noise and turned to walk out of the room.

Part of Adam still quivered because he'd always worried that he'd upset his dad, but even Dad joked that his memory was full of so many random weird things that might set him off. With some effort, he just made his way to Steve instead.

"How about a party then?" Steve asked gently. "We can have a group meal on the roof again if you want to share it with Jamie."

That had been a good day.

Adam nodded.

Xxx

The morning of their birthday, Tony kidnapped them. He even said he was doing it.

And, while there was a sliver of him that worried about what Dad would say, more of him was relieved that he was being included.

Tony took them in a normal car and then, when they got out, they were in an airstrip and there was another car parked by them with Happy grinning.

"This," Tony said as he stepped forward, "is a Bugatti Veyron."

The car was low and sleek. Black with a red bottom, and it practically screamed Tony Stark. Jamie must have understood the name better than Adam did because he actually gasped in what sounded like awed amazement and pressed his lips together.

Apparently amused by Jamie, Tony grinned at Happy who then rested a hand on Jamie's head as if to try and keep him still.

Tony opened the door to the driver's seat and then got in and pushed the chair back as far as it would go and gestured to his lap. "Come on then, kid."

Behind him, Jamie was weaving around Happy and looked so excited that Adam was amazed he was staying quiet. And then suddenly there was the realisation that Tony was talking to him, not Jamie.

"Me first?"

Tony nodded; the grin on his face growing even larger and Adam dived in, hearing Tony groan as he elbowed and kneed the man accidently a few times. And then he was behind the wheel and Tony was revving up the car and then they were off.

It was like flying and Tony laughed behind him. It took Adam a few seconds to realise that he'd let out a joyous shriek and then Tony put Adam's hands on the wheel. And then he was steering and they were going fast. The airstrip was pretty straight and it was completely empty. The trees along the side becoming blurs.

It was over way too soon but Tony shifted out and then came around in the passenger seat.

"Don't ever tell your brother that we did this," Tony warned. "We all know he'd want a go and he's too little at the moment, but…you wanna see if you can get the hang of driving?"

In ten years' time, Adam would always laugh when people were amazed at his driving skills. He'd learned at the hands of the master of technology in one of the fastest cars on the planet and it had been his secret with Tony.

And neither of them ever told a soul for years that it was what they did when they snuck out every few months.

xxx

When they got back (and Adam had sat in the seat next to Jamie and Tony when it had been Jamie's turn and was half sure he'd been driven deaf by his brother's screeches) the mood was sombre. Everyone was gathered in the communal room, frowns on their faces and most had their arms folded as they discussed something.

Even Tony seemed taken aback as they left the elevator. "Seriously?" he sighed. "I took them for a birthday drive. They're back before midday. I think you're seriously reaching…"

The assembled group exchanged a strange look as Tony spoke. Then Natasha stepped forward and handed Tony a starkpadd. As he took it, Dad stepped close and actually picked Adam up which was weird because he never really did that in public and Adam was getting a bit big at the age of twelve.

He was twelve. It was so weird.

A kiss was pressed to his head and there was the familiar rumble of Russian that Dad usually whispered to him when he thought Adam was asleep as they walked away from the rest of the Avengers.

"Buck," Steve said quietly as he followed. "You know it doesn't mean anything."

"You wanna try sayin' that again, Steve?" Dad said and his voice was snappish which was weird because if he was getting snappy he usually took himself off to be on his own.

"You know what I meant." Their accents always seemed to change a little when they talked to each other like this. "Nothing will happen. Have you seen how many people will step between whoever this is and the boys?"

They'd been threatened. Adam knew how that worked. It was tactics and they'd just started that with him in the base. Psychological warfare.

"I can protect myself," Adam pointed out, pulling back to stare into Dad's blue grey gaze. "You know I can."

Jamie couldn't. But he could protect them both.

Dad nodded and then glanced back at the group which let Adam see what was happening. They were apart from the rest, but Tony now mirrored Dad; Jamie was in his arms and he was talking in quick snapped tones with Natasha and Clint while Rhodey studied what was on the Starkpadd.

"We need Thor back," Tony said loudly, catching Steve's eye. "Where's Bruce?"

"Down in the basement," Steve said and that said everything because while Jamie still thought they were telling tales a year in, Adam knew damned well what Bruce turned into when he got mad about something.

Dad didn't let go.

Xxx

They sat on the sofa at Dad's floor and while part of Adam wanted to check on Jamie, he knew that Tony wouldn't let anything happen to him.

"They won't take me," he whispered to Dad.

His dad said nothing, eyes far away. "No," he said eventually. "No they won't. Not while there's breath in my body. You got that?"

Adam nodded.

"I'm sorry," Dad added after a moment. "I know…you should have had a better birthday than that."

But…Tony had given him a brilliant morning. Had spent time with him and they'd shared something, yet Adam kept quiet because it was confusing. Because he didn't know how he could have two dads and yet he did and he didn't get how Jamie only had one and how all the Avengers were sometimes like his aunt and uncles and yet sometimes like strangers. He didn't know how it was that sometimes he thought his dad was the safest place on earth and yet sometimes felt scared.

But he did know that he was loved and that was more than he'd had during his last birthday. And he knew both he and Jamie were safe and that was more than he'd ever had in living memory.

What more could he really ask for after that?


	13. Fall

Fall sucked. Jamie was convinced of it. It got colder and the leaves fell from the trees which must be why it was called fall. The rain came down and made the fallen leaves soggy and mushy and it was gross to deal with.

Plus, everyone was on edge. There had been murmurings that Jamie would be allowed to go around to Chad's house but then then there had been his birthday and everyone being miserable during it and any talk of Jamie going to a friend's house had vanished.

Not fair at all.

The only good thing about it was that Bucky no longer lived with them because he was out finding leads. But so was Steve and Natasha and sometimes Clint and why did it take them all so long to find leads anyway?

If Daddy was doing it, he'd have found them weeks ago.

And Adam was so miserable and boring. And he made Jamie train obsessively and Daddy didn't say a word about it, but would instead sit in the training rooms watching and calling out scenarios.

Sitting on the mat, Jamie inspected one of his bruises on his legs. It was blooming across his thigh where Adam had caught him and had a greenish tinge in the middle which looked like one of those decorative ink splotches that Pepper said Daddy paid too much money for.

"You're worse than you used to be," Adam muttered, arms folded as he scowled down at him.

Jamie squinted up at him and then rested his chin on his knees. "I don't like doing it," he whined and it was true because he always lost and losing wasn't fun. And he wasn't as strong as Adam was so it seemed pointless.

Adam made a strange noise and looked over at Daddy and Daddy seemed to be studying the screen in front of him. Then: "You need to do it, Jamie. We need you to be able to hold someone off for a minute if the worst came to the worst."

"Adam can do it," Jamie huffed. "He's better than me."

"What if someone hurt Adam?"

The question genuinely baffled Jamie for a moment because…well…it was Adam. Puzzled, he watched Adam who seemed suddenly very interested by the question.

"Adam always wins," Jamie said slowly, suddenly feeling like he might be giving the wrong answer. "And…he's good?"

It came out as a question because he wasn't exactly sure about that anymore. But Adam's features smoothed a little and he sighed, looking at Daddy who was finally looking away from the screens.

"Does it work like that?" Daddy asked quietly.

It had to though because that would mean that Adam would be safe. Biting at his thumb, Jamie shrugged and then curled tighter in on himself because the world suddenly felt very threatening.

And Adam dropped down to sit next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Then Daddy was there too on his other side, but his arm was around both of them.

"You know it doesn't work like that anymore," Daddy said softly to his hair.

He didn't want to know that because it made the world harder and more complicated than he felt comfortable with. And it opened up…feelings that he didn't want to deal with.

"Who keeps you safe?" Jamie asked in a small voice.

"We all do," Daddy replied softly. "That's why we're a team. That and we like having other people around us to be dressed up like idiots too."

Adam sniggered a little bit.

So…anyone could die. Anyone could be hurt. It wasn't a reward and punishment in the world outside the lab. But…

"I can't protect you," Jamie said slowly. "Am I not part of the team?"

"You're the smallest team member," Daddy said, pressing a kiss to his hair.

"Mrs Holloway said that unless you play a role, you're not part of the team." In fact, she'd scolded people that didn't help out and just sat there talking and Jamie had been told off about that so many times.

"You can protect Jarvis," Daddy offered.

Jamie nodded. He wanted to help, he did. He wanted to help more-

It was suddenly overwhelming. Worry and protectiveness and love and frustration and tiredness and fear and love and sadness and it made him feel like he might be a bit sick so he shoved it all back but there was still that warm glow that he liked, that made him feel like there was a golden warmth in his chest.

He took a while to adjust just a little bit and then nuzzled into his brother because he'd always been there and always protected Jamie and he supposed it would be better if he didn't have to protect Jamie so much because it meant he could look after himself too.

"I'll try again," he sighed and felt nothing from them when Adam and Daddy grinned and raised an eyebrow at each other.

Xxx

Thor had come back soon after Jamie's birthday, but he'd spent a lot of time having crisis meetings as Clint would put it. Jamie didn't really know what that meant, but he did know that after a month or so of this, Daddy took him to one side and told him not to talk about Jane with Thor.

Thor spent a lot of time reading and watching what Daddy called 'trash tv' and laughing at it usually. Now he had on science documentaries and if he wanted science then he should go to Daddy's or Bruce's lab because that was way more interesting than what was on tv.

And he watched stuff about space and then an interview with Jane was on the TV and Jamie thought that was enough.

"Daddy said we're not supposed to talk about her," Jamie huffed. "It won't work if you keep watching her."

Thor blinked at him slowly and then at the TV. The strangest smile crept across his face and he shifted a little. "You may talk about her," he said eventually. "Though I appreciate your father's attempts to be thoughtful."

Jamie wandered over until he stood between Thor's legs as he sat on the sofa and then pressed his hands against the large one of Thor's that rested on the arm of the sofa. His hand looked tiny in comparison and a lot less tanned.

"Why couldn't we talk about her?" he asked.

"Myself and Jane have parted ways," Thor said sounding sad. "But that does not mean she cannot be talked about or thought of well."

"Did you do something wrong?"

"I have other duties," Thor said with a long sigh. "I cannot place her first and she deserves someone who can. Someone who will spend time with her in a true way."

Thor spoke in a funny way sometimes, but Jamie kinda got the message. "But you're sad about it?" he hedged.

"Emotions do not come easily to you, young one, do they?" Thor said and his tone was soft, more thoughtful than anything else.

"They hurt," Jamie said honestly. "I don't like it."

Thor's eyes narrowed a little and he studied Jamie for a long time. "They do," he said slowly. "But sometimes it's worth it. The good feelings are worth it."

"The bad ones aren't," Jamie said firmly. "I don't like them so I push them away. And I don't want you to be sad so maybe we should push them away."

Strangely, Thor sucked in a breath. "I wish to be sad," Thor said, still watching him in that odd way. "It means I can mourn and think of her fondly. The bad ones feelings make the good ones stronger."

He wasn't convinced but leaned up to give Thor a hug anyway because it was what people did when others were sad.

Xxx

Tony could have screamed because the list of people that would threaten the kids of the Avengers was like the longest list in the world because they were all shit heads that pissed people off all over the world. Hell, the fucking universe if you included aliens.

Steve and Barnes were convinced it was Hydra and that was all it took for the attack dog and his Captain to go hunting around the world once Thor arrived and once Tony had agreed they could take the super duper fast jet that he'd been slaving on and at no point did anyone say how impressive it was.

Dicks.

So after that was a list of everyone that they'd pissed off with his and Barnes' enemies at the top and the list was useless because if two hundred people were on it then it was a bit fucking pointless.

Even the note. Printed on normal paper from a word document and in an envelope that could be bought anywhere in America, it didn't narrow the search down at all.

"I believe we need to have a word," Thor said as he stepped into the lab.

"For you? We can have an entire conversation." As long as it wasn't about Jane or love poetry. Or the hammer because that still burned that he couldn't lift it. Or the rules about not letting some human use that rainbow road that Thor used to see other worlds.

"About your youngest child."

God, what had Jamie done now? "He's being a brat at the moment because we won't let him go to a friend's house and all the kids in the class have suddenly discovered sleep overs so-"

"I believe you may need to monitor him. For the ability to empathise"

What?

Turning around, Tony blinked at the man. "Jamie empathising?" he asked blankly.

"I believe he has a talent with it," Thor said. "I have seen it once or twice in my lifetime. A person who can feel what others feel."

"Jamie?" Tony asked, slightly backfooted. "My Jamie? The kid who still is baffled by the fact that I might feel scared about things and has to double check that someone is sad?"

"I believe he is blocking it. He said he doesn't like to feel the bad feelings."

"And that is what you are basing this on?"

Thor shook his head. "I requested that Jarvis showed me some important interactions between Jamie and others. There is a file for you to peruse."

It was insane. It was so insane but…

Adam. And Jamie. The thing in the mansion, the reaction that Adam and Jamie had when the tower was attacked.

"You've seen it before?" he heard himself ask.

"It is rare. A small power. It merely explains how he has avoided the trauma in the way that Adam has. The boy is able to push away feelings he doesn't want to deal with. And, unlike others, is successful at it without creating hidden pockets of trauma."

They'd been experiment with the boys. Had it just manifested in a different way? In a way that Hydra would never in a million years have thought to test or been able to check and bring out.

"It is merely something to ask your mind healers about," Thor said easily. "He will simply need different handling. And it is not a certainty."

Tony nodded, still a little surprised, but his mind was already racing and starting to fit in this new information. "Well…" he said, slumping in his seat. "Given that two out of the four that deal with them reckon he has sociopathic tendencies…this seems a better way forward. So I guess we look at treating him like he's repressing stuff?"

Thor nodded. "Would it hurt?"

"I guess that's where the mind healers come in," Tony said, bringing up new screens because this was something he could do. "Can't bring anyone new in at the moment, but can ask those we have."

A large hand clamped onto his shoulder as Thor stood. "Your attempts to limit my pain have been noted too. It is appreciated, but not needed."

"It's my ego," Tony said, staring at the screens. "I assume everyone would react that same way I would. Still," he added brightly, "Pep and I so season 3 of friends that I don't suppose I'll have to deal with a proper break up for a few years yet."

Clearly Thor wouldn't have a clue what he was talking about, and it was why Tony had used the reference because it was getting a little too cosy and emotional and he wasn't sure if he could handle some demi god sobbing about an astrophysicist in his workshop.

"Both of us understand the definition of a break," Thor said, sounding oddly amused suddenly. And when Tony gaped at him, Thor shrugged. "It is on many channels."

He so needed to buy a TV company and fix what they were showing on tv these days.


	14. Story Time

In all his years, Bruce had never imagined that he would have this.

A family.

Christmas was approaching and the decorations were up again. They all seemed to drift to the communal area more than they did at other times of the years. Steve and Bucky had returned as had Natasha and they were all closing ranks around their strange little family. All except for Clint who had gone home to his actual kids this year as there wasn't Cross after him this time.

He'd never wanted children. Never wanted to risk becoming his father when he'd been younger and then there had been the issue of the Hulk. Jamie and Adam were as close as he would ever get and just being around them sometimes lulled him.

And the thought of anyone coming for them made him want to tear down half of New York to protect them.

The others were at the table, talking in some elaborate code about the hunt for the person who had threatened the boys. Unless it was science or a massive wall that needed to be brought down, there wasn't a lot that Bruce could contribute.

So he had the boys instead, watching Elf and they were entranced.

By the age of twelve, most other kids had lost their belief in Father Christmas, but Adam was still completely taken by the idea. Jamie, Bruce suspected, was starting to question it, but seemed to be almost understanding tact and was silent on questioning the topic when Adam was around.

They were both sprawled on him in a way that they never would have done last year. Adam had his feet on Bruce and Jamie's laps and Jamie was tucked up into Bruce's side, watching with wide interested eyes.

The others were still talking when the film finished and were obviously not ready to reintegrate into family time.

"How did you become an Avenger?" Jamie asked suddenly.

"We had an alien invasion," Bruce said, yawning. "It's how we all came together. You've seen the footage."

"Mm," Jamie said. "But…" then he huffed. "Daddy was captured and Steve was injected because he wanted to punch Nazis. And Natasha had a ledger," clearly the boy had no idea what that meant, "and Clint was bored of hitting targets in the circus," and that story had been adapted a lot, "and Thor was taught a lesson by his Dad because he was being arrogant." Jamie sent him a pointed look. "How did you become an Avenger?"

Jamie had only just accepted that Bruce could turn into the Hulk and that was only because he'd watched Bruce turn back via the security cameras.

"Well," Bruce said, his mind racing ahead and trying to work out how to censor it. "You know that Steve was missing for a long time-"

"He was being a popsicle," Jamie said chirpily. "For like, seventy years because he's old and has to nap."

Jesus, they really were raising a mini Tony Stark. Adam blinked back, a smile dancing around his lips as he kicked Jamie gently. "Be nice to Steve. He draws you things."

Rolling his eyes, Jamie seemed to accept that one.

"Well…we wanted to replicate the serum. The military wanted to be able to use it again."

"Like Hydra?" Adam asked quietly.

"I suppose so. Countries always want to ensure they have the best means of defence," Bruce said diplomatically. "I was working for General Ross and we were experimenting. There was an accident; I was trapped in a chamber and exposed to the test material and the gamma rays."

"And you became the Hulk?" Jamie asked quietly and the boy was getting so much better at realising how others were feeling.

"Yes. And it wasn't like now where the Hulk knows he has a team and trusts them. This was…a frightened beast and the military hunted me because of it and the damage I could do."

It seemed to catch Adam's attention. "The government hunted you?" he asked and sounded a bit surprised as if the idea had never occurred to him before. He'd sat up and was leaning close now.

"Yes. They let me back when the experiments created something even worse but…the Hulk is a little excessive. I think everyone agreed it was better just to let me hide and search for a cure."

"A cure?" Adam asked.

Jamie plucked on the sleeve of Bruce's jumper. "But that would mean killing the Hulk," he said with a frown. "That's not nice. He protects the team."

Jamie had become obsessed lately with working out the dynamics in their team of who protected who. It was like he was trying to figure out the equation as to how to ensure that everyone came home at the end of every mission.

As if Steve hadn't already obsessed over that for years.

"And you," Adam added. "Tony said The Hulk wouldn't let you die."

They'd been down that road, him and Tony. They'd discussed it enough times and while Bruce still wasn't fully happy with that, he could at least see that it was a better way of viewing the curse of the Hulk.

Jamie wriggled until his arms were looped around Bruce's neck. "That makes you the best person," he said thoughtfully. "You protect everyone, even you."

It made Bruce chuckle and hug the little boy a little closer. Adam watched, his eyes a lot more aware and thoughtful than Jamie's but he leaned in close after a moment too and it was so perfectly calm and wonderful that Bruce never wanted to let go of the feeling.

"But the government are nice to you now, right?"

Stirring at Adam's question, Bruce blinked down at him. "Yeah," he said, though his tone didn't sound fully convincing to even his own ears. "I'm an Avenger. Your Dad keeps me safe."

The moment the words were out of his mouth he regretted it. "I mean Tony," he added quickly.

But Adam didn't seem too concerned. "How?" he asked, his nose scrunching up.

"Contracts, deals. It's boring, but the protection he's given to the Avengers actions are pretty impressive."

"Pepper does that," Jamie said. "Daddy said she fights scarier battles than he does."

It made Bruce laugh. "She probably does," he admitted. "I'm not sure how many of us could fight those battles."

Adam looked slightly shell-shocked by the idea that fighting could be done without physical violence.

At the table, Tony suddenly stood up looking pale and Rhodey moved with him looking equally worried. The pair suddenly rushed out of the room, Tony's phone already out and to his ear as he snapped orders into it.

"What-"

"Something went wrong with the Richards' space test," Natasha said, standing. "Their friend has been involved in an accident. They're all scrambling to bring the team back to orbit."

God.

Jamie watched them all curiously and then started biting at his thumb.

"When you say an accident in space-"

"Not an invasion," Steve said, sitting back. "I think it's more…just a tech thing. Or…" he fumbled and flushed a little as it became increasingly obvious that he didn't know what he was talking about.

"Or?" Bucky asked.

"You explain it then," Steve offered and strangely enough, Barnes smirked but declined the offer. "You coming down with us, kiddo?" Steve asked Adam as he stood up.

Adam glanced at Jamie.

"I've got him," Bruce soothed and Jamie nodded, snuggling a little closer. Big blue grey, distrustful eyes watched Bucky and Bruce could see the way that Bucky avoided the boy's eyes.

"Night Jamie," Adam said, reaching over to press a kiss to his little brother's head. He smiled at Bruce and then scampered off to follow Steve and Bucky down which then left Sam Thor, Nat and Bruce.

Sam who looked between Nat and Bruce and then shifted suddenly. "Hey, kid," he said to Jamie, "You wanna see if you can kick my ass at Mario Kart? Or even if we can beat Thor together. Beating a god, that's gotta be a cool story for school."

Which would usually work, but Jamie whined and then pressed himself further into Bruce and he could help the gratified feeling that overcame him. "He's fine," he said, half relived to have the chance to avoid talking to Natasha and being told that she was just flirting harmlessly with him.

To his surprise, she smiled and then sat next to him with a book and it was comfortable. After a moment, Sam and Thor decided to challenge each other to a race anyway and disappeared down the hall.

There were times when he could tell himself stories. That this was his life with his son in his lap and his wife reading at his side. It was a lie. In so many ways it was a lie.

But he could pretend, just for half an hour.


	15. Mr Fantastic

There was a new man at the table. He had brown hair like Jamie and Daddy and his head was in his hands, elbows on the table as he seemed to be struggling with something.

Jamie hated sad people being in the building.

He hovered by the doorway, trying to decide what to do. At the kitchen counter, Daddy was pouring coffee with one hand and was tapping on his phone with the other.

Stealth mode seemed wise. He knew about stealth mode because Clint had been teaching him by aiming snowballs at him when they'd travelled to see him and his family in the new year. He and Cooper and flung things at each other even though Cooper was a little bit younger than he was.

He'd liked being one of the oldest. Maybe Daddy should have more children.

Though… Jamie frowned as he approached the kitchen counter, he was gonna have to debate calling Daddy Dad now.

So he clambered up onto the bar stool and Daddy eyed him up and then glanced at the man at the table. "You're up early," he said as he put his phone down. "What happened to hating the daylight and wanting to be a vampire?"

"Clint showed me Twilight," Jamie complained, huffing as he placed his chin on his hands. "Sparkling is stupid."

Daddy leaned down. "I have never been so proud of you," he said and Jamie nodded because that seemed fair. No-one would want a son who wanted to sparkle and constantly be frowny and boring.

"He's too young for that film," the man mumbled into his hands.

Daddy rolled his eyes. "Have you ever met a rule you didn't love?" he asked as he picked up the coffee.

"It's violent," the man said as he reached out to accept the coffee and looked at Jamie. "Hello," he added absently.

"Raised to be a mini soldier from the ages of 0 to 6," Daddy said pointing at Jamie. "Kinda think that ship sailed. Probably looping Fiji by now."

"Who is he?" Jamie asked because usually adults paid attention to him and the man really wasn't.

"This? This is the most boring man on the planet-"

The man sighed. "Just because I haven't had threesomes with models or saved the world-"

"That'll change soon," Daddy said frankly. "Not the first thing. I mean, you are still you and girls will be asleep before you get in anywhere but the other thing-"

The man groaned. Again.

"Do I just call him Mr Boring?" Jamie asked after a moment and he wasn't that sure the conversation was really worth being around for. Maybe if he went to hunt down Adam-

"This is Reed Richards," Daddy said as he sat his hip on the edge of the table. "He's bendy. Wanna see?"

No. "Natasha would kick his ass," Jamie said frankly with a shrug and then wandered to the fridge because no-one was doing it for him and that was so annoying. It had been happening more and more because he was eight and eight year olds were meant to be better at doing things for themselves.

It took ages to do things for yourself.

Then a hand came past him and undid the fridge door before retracting. Jamie watched with wide eyes as the hand returned to Reed Richards, the arm having stretched like chewing gum.

"That's so gross," Jamie decided after watching. Then: "Can you stretch your face like that too? 'cause that would be mega gross."

Reed Richards looked at Daddy, baffled as Jamie came over and eyed him up.

"He's eight. Gross is pretty much the most amazing thing there is," Daddy had his phone out again. "Have fun with it. Stop being so serious."

"Have you seen what happened to Ben?" came the snapped response.

"Is it even more gross?" Jamie asked, delighted by the idea. "Can I see? Please," he added when Daddy opened his mouth and looked like he might say no. "I never see anything cool."

"Uh…my workshop?"

"That doesn't count, it's always there," Jamie whined and leaned into his father pleadingly. "Please."

"Up to Reed," Daddy said, and there was a hint of a pleased smile.

"He'll be scared," Reed said. "Ben doesn't need that."

"Bet ya," Daddy said.

Xxx

Ben was awesome.

He was like a rock that had sprouted legs and arms and a head and he was orange like he'd rolled in those cheesy chips people bought.

Jamie pressed a hand to his…huh…his skin? And Ben stayed exactly where he was, watching him suspiciously.

"Do you breathe?" Jamie asked and climbed up onto his lap because the man was sat down and there was a lap so why not? "Isn't it heavy? We learned about ways to kill people at school and they put rocks on people. Are you a rock? Does it hurt? Do you need moisturiser?"

Ben tilted his head past Jamie, his arms still held out wide as if Jamie was a bomb that might go off any second. "Stark," he snarled. "Your brat is a mini you."

"Everyone says that," Jamie huffed and then studied the man's ears. How did that even work?

"At least he isn't afraid of you," Reed said, sounding amused.

Ben moved his head which might have been him agreeing or might have been him mouthing something rude.

"You can swear," Jamie said as he studied the man's hands now, checking to see how the finger nails worked. "Everyone does at home. We just can't say the C word because that's a bit too rude. And the A word."

"The A word?" Reed asked sounding surprised. "You don't let him say ass?"

"I don't let him say apple tech," Daddy clarified.

"It upsets Jarvis," Jamie parroted.

"So," Daddy said as he examined the lab. It was huge and circular and had some circular tubes where people could lay. The machinery was bigger than what was in Daddy's labs but that was probably because they didn't care about style. "The storms are out?"

Huh?

"You know Johnny," Reed said with a sigh. "He's loving it. And Sue is….adjusting still, I think."

"You said Doom was unaffected?" Daddy asked. "Because if ever there was a name that fit a man-"

"I checked him myself. Unless there's a delayed reaction-"

"Yeah," Daddy said sarcastically. "That never happens."

"You finished yet?" Ben asked and Jamie peered at his face that was so square and cracked, yet had very blue eyes.

"Is your eye like the rest of you?" Jamie asked readying a finger to poke it. "And how do you pee?"

The start of a smile started to cross Ben's face. "At least you ask," he said with a sigh before he lifted Jamie off his lap and set him down before standing up. The floor rumbled a little with his weight and maybe being at the top of another tower wasn't so smart.

"But you don't answer," Jamie complained, chasing after him. "Please," he whined because no-one held out against him that long.

He caught sight of Daddy grinning as he held out his hand to Reed. The man was placing some money in Daddy's hand with a sigh.

Xxx

Steve wasn't entirely sure whether to laugh or cry.

"And he was taller than Thor," Jamie added as he stood on the back of the sofa and told Adam imperiously about his day.

"You took him to the Baxter building?" Steve asked Tony as he took a sip of coffee.

"I took my kid to see a friend," Tony said as he flicked through the files Steve had brought him. They were sat at the table, the papers spread out once again and no-one even tried to eat at the table anymore. "Ben needed someone to still see him as a person."

"And Jamie was the person to do that?" Steve asked doubtfully. He loved the boy, he really did, but Jamie wasn't exactly the kindest kid in the world. Adam would have been better.

"He doesn't do bullshit," Tony said as he scrubbed his face. "Ben was tired of bullshit. Also, let's try to not have another group of people who have superpowers view us with suspicion."

The world was certainly getting bigger. "Any idea who this 'Madam Hydra' is then?" Steve asked slowly.

"Could make a few guesses," Tony said as he continued to sort through the data. "What's that thing about cut off one head three more grow back? How many fucking factions are there now?"

Steve shrugged. "Why the hell haven't they made a move yet?"

"Hey, maybe it was a drunken mistake," Tony said. "You know, I'm drunk, I'm pissed, let's write a silly little note to the Avengers."

"I was talking about the factions," Steve sighed. "But yes, I suppose that too." He shifted as Jamie came over and tried to peer at what they were doing. "Yes?" he asked, amused despite everything.

Jamie's head was tilting as he tried to read what they were looking at and catch a glance of Tony's pad. "Daddy," he said sounding very serious.

"Yep?"

"I think I'm too old to call you Daddy," Jamie decided and Tony's head shot up. "We're going to go back to Dad. Okay?"

Tony's mouth opened and closed a few times and then, after a bewildered look at Steve, he nodded. "Okay?" he said, as if unsure how to respond. Steve had to hide a smile because if there was one person in the world you could guarantee would catch Tony off guard, it was Jamie Stark.

Jamie nodded. "So that means I'm old enough to-"

He didn't even finish before Tony sighed, put down the pad reached out for Jamie's shoulders and directed him away from the table. "No," he said. "You are not old enough to go to your friends' house, walk to school, drive, hunt down criminals or set things on fire. Go away."

Xxx

He got back to the floor he shared with Bucky and stepped out to stare down at the city below from the balcony. It was the thing he could finally admit that he loved about the tower (that and having the team so close – he was surprised how quickly he'd enjoyed that after the endless silence after he'd been found).

Bucky stepped out after ten minutes, a cigarette between his lips and letting the smoke billow out into the night air.

"How was Germany?" Steve asked, glancing at him and trying to assess how much damage he'd sustained.

"Enlightening." He'd been back for a while and had a shower; the faintest whiff of Steve's shampoo carried on the wind and it made him feel oddly satisfied to know that Bucky used his stuff. "Seems Natasha and I have a thing of two in common."

"Yeah?" Steve asked. "Like?"

"Sinthea Schmidt."

Schmidt? "As in-"

"His daughter," Bucky confirmed. "I trained her. Sort of. I was used to train her," he amended a little. "Seems she may have had a hand in training Natasha."

It was a strange world they lived in. "Is she heading Hydra?"

"A faction," Bucky sighed and rocked a little. "They're the quietest," he added, frowning. "My memory of her isn't her being quiet and unwilling to take a risk."

"You think they're planning something?"

"Maybe." The smoke billowed again. "Thing is, seems like that dickshit Rumlow has joined with her."

That was another blast from the past. Unsteady, Steve eyed Bucky, not sure what to say. "You remember him?" he asked.

Bucky nodded and they left it at that because his jaw was spasming as if he were clenching his mouth shut and straining to push the memories back.

"I remembered you," Bucky said suddenly. "They wiped me."

It made Steve clench his fingers around the rail, hating it. If he'd been more aware, if he'd been quicker or smarter then maybe he could have spared Bucky another day or the captivity, of having his mind enslaved.

"Not yours to protect," Bucky said suddenly. "Quit wrecking the railings."

And, sure enough, under Steve's fingers, the railings were now showing indents as if the railings had been melted into a strange shape. Forcing himself to relax, he released a long breath.

"You are though," Steve said because he wasn't letting that one go. "I should have done more-"

"Jesus, Steve, I'm so bored of this conversation," Bucky huffed. "You were dead for seventy years. What d'ya think you could have done? Defrosted yourself?"

"I…" Steve tapped his fingers carefully against each other. "Wouldn't you feel the same, if this was reversed?"

Bucky stared at him for the longest time. "Don't," he said, suddenly sounding unsteady as he marched back into the main room.

Two years. Two years and he still couldn't avoid putting his foot in it.

Damn it.

Striding in, Steve slammed the door closed behind him and was thankful that Tony had used reinforced glass for the tower. "Don't what?" he demanded.

Bucky whirled as if stunned. "We doin' this?" he asked. "Talkin' about it."

It.

He'd never backed down from a single fight before. "Yes," he said, folding his arms.

Bucky's jaw tightened. "I'd rather it was me than you," he said finally. "The idea of you going through it…" he trailed off and looked away.

Steve waited and wasn't even so sure what he was waiting for. They stared at each other and there was something…

Then Bucky shook his head, turned and walked away.

"I would have done anything," Steve said, staring at the table, "to have spared you all of it. Anything."

Bucky stopped, his back rigid and it was impossible to know what was going through his head. "I could survive it," he said quietly, not turning around. "You wouldn't have."

What?

It hurt and Steve wasn't sure what he'd expected. Had they been having two different conversations. Why-

"Good men fall harder than bad ones," Bucky continued as he turned back. "You're still…" he trailed off with a helpless gesture. "Good," he finished uselessly.

"So are you," Steve replied.

"I killed my own son," Bucky said and they'd never, ever spoken about that. "There are some things you don't come back from."

"It wasn't you-"

"I snapped his neck," Bucky snarled suddenly. "I beat him, Steve. I killed that boy, that nameless kid that lies in a fucking mass grave. My son. That's what I do to those I love."

"You won't hurt Adam," Steve said firmly, trying to keep up. "You won't-"

"No," Bucky agreed. "He's the last good thing I ever had a hand in doing. But you…You I will hurt. And I don't think I could survive that, Steve."

Oh.

He didn't know how to respond. What to say to convince Bucky that he was talking crap. That he was wrong. The sentiment was not what he'd expected, took him completely by surprise.

"Not yours to protect," he said eventually, feebly.

It earned him a smile. "You've always been mine to protect, Stevie," Bucky said, keeping his distance and hovering suspiciously close to the door. "Who the fuck else watches your six?"

"Buck-"

But the man shook his head. "Not tonight," he said, suddenly exhausted. "Not…you need to know. I might not…I'm not sure I'll ever change my mind. It's too…too important"

"You think I will?" Steve demanded. "You think you can out stubborn me?"

At that Bucky actually rolled his eyes.

"You think it will make a difference?" Steve asked, stepping forward. "Whether we admit it or not?"

"Yes," Bucky said firmly. "You can survive me shooting you, Steve. But I can hurt you worse than that if we…if…we'd burn the world down for each other as it is."

He was scared.

"You're a coward," Steve said suddenly, not really processing the words he was saying.

It hit. He saw the hurt in Bucky's expression, the way he shut down just a little more. "I'm an asset," he said suddenly fierce. "Love is for children, Steve. We don't have that luxury."

And he turned, slamming the door behind him.

Xxx

Love is for children.

Had Bucky told it to Sinthea Schmidt? Had she taught that to Natasha?

Love is for children.

Steve watched as Jamie danced around the man that was being called 'The thing' by the media, watched as Adam watched over his brother, as Tony watched the pair of them and wondered, not for the first time, if they'd really done Adam a favour when they'd fought for Bucky to have access.

Wondered exactly how much Hydra had already ruined them all.


	16. Regrets

The expo was frickin' huge.

They were setting up the stage for Dad's presentation and Pepper was there talking into a headset as she stood with a starkpad in her hands scrolling through. Dad was giving a sound guy a doubtful look.

"Can I go and see-"

"No," Uncle Rhodey replied, sounding bored and as if he wasn't even really listening to Jamie.

"I could have asked to go and see the ant over there," Jamie complained. "You're not listening," he added as he pushed into his Uncle. "Dad said to call you cutiepie if you stop listening."

"Great," Uncle Rhodey said, still apparently unfazed. "Remind your Dad that I've put up with him for over twenty five years."

"Do you remember getting dates before there were cell phones?" Jamie asked. "Did you queue up for Star Wars or something?"

Uncle Rhodey stared at him, muttered something under his breath and then paid attention to him rather than sending emails to some boring military person. "What do you want?" he asked.

"To look around," Jamie said hopefully. "You can like, come if you want."

Uncle Rhodey stared at him and then looked over to Dad. "You know the rules."

"I know the rules," Jamie huffed. "I've heard them a thousand times. I'm not stupid." He shifted so that his legs were dangling over the edge and stared out at the empty stadium.

It was beyond frustrating that he wasn't allowed to do anything fun. Even the expo that looked so fun was gonna be filled with rules.

Uncle Rhodey sat down next to him with a sigh and put his arm around Jamie's shoulders. "I know it's frustrating," he started to say.

Jamie rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna be a hundred before I get to go somewhere on my own."

Uncle Rhodey stroked a hand through his hair. It didn't take long before Dad's shadow was over them and he sat on the otherside of Jamie.

"Jamie-roo," Dad said and gave his leg a little kick. "Cheer up," he said, nudging Jamie's shoulder.

"I wanna see the stuff," Jamie whined. "Dad, come on," he added sensing a chance. He turned and got up on his knees and then almost climbed on Dad. "Dad, I promise, nothing will-"

The sound of the explosion was deafening and Jamie found himself being rolled and within seconds there was armour above him instead of his father's suit and arms. Shouts echoed in the area and someone was screaming as he heard something crumble.

The floor shook and rumbled because the crash of it made Jamie scream and shriek under the safety of Dad and curl up.

Where was Adam?

Why wasn't Adam there?

He clamped his hands over his ears and screamed because the world was falling apart and he was adrift in pain and terror and it hurt so much. Panic and agony and he didn't want to know.

He never wanted to know.

"What is it?" he heard Iron Man's voice and he knew it was his Dad in there but he was hidden by the metal and it never felt the same.

"It's bombers." And that was Iron Patriot's voice. "Suicide bombers."

There was another explosion. The earth continued to shudder and howl and the world continued to whirl and shake, like being caught in the tide at the beach when you couldn't work out what was sand or sky or up or down.

Jamie screamed again.

"-don't fucking care who's closer," Iron Man was saying. "I need some fucking back-up." Then: "Jamie's here."

Jamie barely managed to track anything else. He knew that his Dad was talking to someone. He knew that Uncle Rhodey had flown off to start dealing with the threat and that Dad was practically straining with the urge to help but kept his arms around Jamie and kept Jamie hidden from the explosions.

But not the pain.

"Be fucking kidding," Dad said suddenly.

There was silence and then Jamie was being moved and he was clinging to someone. A hand was covering his hair and they were moving through the chaos. And then the door shut and it was calm.

The smell was new and yet wasn't. And it was almost comforting and still deadly and he knew it. He knew him.

But Jamie was exhausted. Within moments he fell asleep.

xxx

When Steve found them they were in the security guards' bunker. He stood in the doorway and had no idea what to say because there, on the floor, was Bucky and Jamie.

Jamie was fast asleep. His face was burrowed into Bucky's neck, thumb in his mouth and a peaceful look on his face.

Bucky looked wrecked. There were tears still in his eyes, streaks down his face cutting through the dust and ash on his face from the explosions and his mouth was pressed to Jamie's hair.

"Buck," Steve said softly.

Bucky was gripping Jamie tightly. His metal hand was curled around Jamie's middle and his flesh hand was spread over the back of Jamie's head and he was rocking them just a little.

"He's mine," Bucky whispered, as if it were a revelation. "He's mine."

The thing was, he wasn't. Not anymore.

But what the hell could Steve say? He put the shield down and wandered over, sitting down by Bucky and letting his friend lean against him.

He didn't know how long they sat there, but Tony occasionally checked in on the channel asking for updates and Steve closed his eyes.

"We need to go back," he said, unable to look at Bucky as he said it. "Tony will come looking for Jamie in a bit."

"He's mine," Bucky replied, but his voice was shaking, weak. "Steve, please-"

God almighty.

It sickened him that he couldn't just agree and have them skip out. Grab Adam and find some tiny village in the middle on no-where to hide them all and let them live out their days without a single second of pain or uncertainty.

The world wasn't like that though. And they were needed for more than just their selfish desires.

"Give him to me," Steve said gently, trying to ensure Jamie didn't wake up. But Bucky shook his head and Steve winced as Tony garbled in his ear again, demanding an update.

He stood, walking to the edge of the room before tapping into the channel. "He's fine," he reassured the rest of the team. "Jamie's asleep."

"Yeah." Steve could feel the cackle in his ear as Tony switched them into a private com. "Where the fuck is my son?"

Steve could have banged his head against a wall. "I know you're worried-"

"Rogers, I swear to fucking god-"

"Bucky has him."

There was a really long silence. "He signed him away," Tony said, suddenly fierce. "I have documentation-"

"Jesus, Tony," Steve huffed. "It's just hit him all right. Give us five minutes."

"No."

Damn it. Steve turned back but Bucky didn't seem to have listened to a word that Steve had been saying. Not sure what to do, Steve stood where he'd stopped and watched Bucky with his youngest son for the first time in his memory.

What was going through his head? Because if Bucky couldn't stop the floodgate of emotion for Jamie then chances were that he was suffering about D4.

How could they even begin to comfort him about that?

The sound of the repulsors made Steve wince and open the door to find Tony on the other side, the face plate absent as he strode forward.

"Don't," Steve pleaded. "Tony-"

"You know what?" Tony demanded. "No. No. The guy who sent the bombers? Obie's son. You know, the guy who tried to kill me and steal my work. The guy who probably ordered the hit on my parents. Who probably sent that fucking note. So no. I'm not in the mood to indulge Barnes. I want my fucking son."

Steve closed his eyes as Tony strode past and then stopped dead in the doorway.

"I don't want to wake Jamie up," Steve said to the air before he turned around. "And Bucky's not exactly with it."

Tony's eyes were fixed on Jamie, scanning and Steve could understand that urge to reassure himself. He imagined there might be the same fight when they got back to the tower later and saw Adam who was in the panic room with Bruce.

Then Tony moved. Closer and closer to Bucky until he was kneeling at the man's side.

"He was screaming," Tony said quietly. "What did you do?"

Bucky blinked at him, as if coming out of his daze a little. "Don't," he whispered in that same broken tone. "Just…five more minutes."

But Tony shook his head. "Won't matter how long it is. You want him to wake up like that? Cause we both know what his reaction will be."

Steve stepped forward, infuriated. But Bucky blinked and then banged his head against the wall, staring at the ceiling before slowly uncurling his arms from Jamie and letting Tony slip his around the boy instead.

As if he didn't trust Bucky, Tony swooped like a bird plucking up prey and pulled Jamie quickly into his arms before standing and mirroring Bucky's earlier hold on Jamie.

"That was cold," Steve said, as Tony walked by him.

"Kinder than what you were doing," Tony snapped back as he left with Jamie.

When Steve tried to step close, Bucky got up and walked away, shaking as he moved and Steve let him go.

There wasn't a damned thing he could do. Because Jamie wasn't Bucky's. Not anymore.

And Bucky had made that choice. And he'd have to live with it.


	17. Movie Nights

The room was one of his favourite. Not because of the view or because he thought that anyone needed a home cinema complex, but because, hidden in the darkness above the seating area, was a thin walkway where you could peer down at the people below.

Why it had been built in, Bucky had no idea. Probably Stark wanting to stare down at people and spy on them or know what they were thinking or something like that. But he didn't question it because it meant he could watch the boys.

Both of them.

Adam was sitting crossed legged on one of the plush and deep armchairs. There was a bowl of popcorn on his lap and his eyes were fixed on the screen. The light would fade and flicker from the screen, catching his hair and making it look like there was a halo around him and didn't that sum up his feelings about the boy perfectly. The one good thing that he'd been able to do in seventy years and it was the one thing that had been purely his choice. And the boy was good, he was so good. Almost as if elements of Steve had rubbed off on Bucky over the years and had been poured into a new person.

Jamie was on the sofa, curled up around a cushion and harder to see. Every so often a socked foot would wave in the air as Jamie shifted or became less engaged in the film. Once or twice he would suddenly launch towards Adam and then laugh as his older brother curled protectively around the popcorn and held out a hand to keep Jamie at arm's length.

By an hour in, Jamie was on the floor, the cushions scattered on the floor, bits of popcorn scattered around him, head in his hands and the socked feet waving back and forth as he chomped down on his liberated popcorn sat in a pile in front of him.

It was Jamie all over; creating a mess everywhere he went, chaotic and wild. In someways the opposite of Adam because Jamie absolutely wasn't perfect.

Yet his arms ached to hold the boy again, to curl around him and feel that small body shift into him and relax. To have the trusting arms around his neck in a careless hug and the feel of his youngest son breathing into his neck as Jamie slept. Jamie was the boy that the man he had been would have indulged and winked at as Jamie was getting scolded. He would have snuck him his first beer and probably gotten into one or two fights because his boy would have broken a neighbour's window or would have probably tried to get as far as he could with a friend's daughter.

Because Jamie was probably the closest thing to Bucky that there would ever come. Bucky as he had been and the fact that that spirit had survived, despite everything that Hydra had tried to do, was astounding to him. There were differences, of course there were (mainly because sometimes it was as if Tony Stark talked from the boy's mouth), but it was as if life had decided to hand him something of the life he could have had back.

And he'd tossed it away.

Jamie, apparently bored of the scene, was trying to balance on Adam's chair and Adam was watching still while absently holding out a hand to catch his brother should something go wrong.

He tried to imagine it, even though it made him ache. Tried to imagine the third boy, the one that should have been between Adam and Jamie. Whenever he did, he pictured a more serious boy, probably forced to put up with Jamie's ridiculous plans and with a slightly cynical sense of humour who might flash rare, precious smiles.

D4. David? Daniel? Ford? He'd almost asked Stark what he would have called the kid before realising just how much that might open up a conversation that he didn't want to deal with. It hurt though, to not even be able to settle on a potential name for the boy, but rather continuously refer to the boy by the designation that Hydra had assigned him.

It hurt even more when he woke in the night still feeling his son's bones give under his hands and unable to forget the look of terrified realisation that had hit that small face before the light went out.

Steve lingered by the entrance to the walkway, as if he was still five foot nothing and could get away with skulking in small places. Not wanting to disturb the boys, Bucky walked over quietly and let himself out of the room.

"Tony's dealt with Zeke Staine," Steve said. "Rhodey said he's being checked over by the medic."

That was good. Mostly. The boys would have been devastated if something had happened.

That fucking form that he'd signed wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on…

"Prognosis?" Bucky asked.

"Nothing lasting," Steve said, folding his arms. "It's more due to the fact that Rhodey's sure Tony hasn't slept properly in the past three weeks. He's exhausted." Steve's eyes tracked over Bucky. "How are the boys?"

"Watching a film. Something about starships and light swords." Bucky shrugged and then huffed when he saw Steve's lips curl a little in amusement. "They're fine. Popcorns been battled over though."

Steve nodded, eyes still wary and watching.

"Don't," Bucky said, avoiding his gaze. "I know."

"Buck-"

"I said I fucking know," Bucky hissed. "I know I fucked up and I know it's too late."

Steve didn't refute that. Steve who would fight until the bitter end and could outdo God in being stubborn was silent.

His son was afraid of him and there wasn't a fucking thing he could do to change that because Jamie had Tony who wouldn't let Bucky get close enough to change that. And Jamie didn't need Bucky.

But, maybe…

He looked over to Steve and eyed him up, not sure if the feeling in his chest was from nerves or terror or dread but…

"I don't want to leave it until it's too late again," Bucky said slowly, staring at Steve's chest because, for some reason, he couldn't meet the man's eyes.

"Adam adores you. You're not-"

God this was difficult. Leaning forward, he stepped close and then press his lips to Steve's.

The kiss was, well, fragile. Hesitant.

"Buck," Steve whispered, their breath mingling. "Are you sure-"

"Probably gonna be glacial speed," Bucky admitted, stepping back a little. "But…I…happiness is short," he said quietly. "I got enough regrets, Steve. I don't want to regret anything with us."

The surprise on Steve's face almost hurt because it was as if someone had handed him a gold platted medal or something. Looking nervous, Steve stepped forward and reached out a hesitant hand to Bucky's jaw.

How many people had he reached out to just to wrap his metal fingers around the fragile bones of their throat and twist? But Steve was good. His fingers skimmed Bucky's skin gently, sending shivers down Bucky's spine because a gentle touch could be more disarming than anything else in the world.

"I can live with that," Steve agreed, an almost smile on his lips and more hope in his eyes than Bucky could remember seeing for a long time.

He'd take what he could get.


	18. Hopes and Dreams

It was a dream that he had. Not every night, not close because even if it did make him want to crawl around himself in agony, for the moments that he dreamt he was…

Happy.

The dream that he'd gotten away. And then come back. That it had been him, whole and sane and _him_ that had come for his sons. All three of them.

He'd have taken them north, as far as he could because he'd been trained in the winter and the Hydra that he was running from thrived in the summer and in diplomacy and secret deals.

Canada. A cabin on the outskirts of town so that the boys could have some contact, but so that he wouldn't constantly be on alert.

"How far away did you shoot it?" Jamie asked, perched on the gate and eating an apple that Bucky had picked up from town, and the kid could eat his way through those fucking things like they were easy to find when snow came up to your knees.

Amused, Bucky looked up at his youngest son as he crouched over the carcass with his knife to skin the deer. "It's called the range," he corrected.

"It doesn't look like a target," Jamie huffed, shifting. He looked like a ball of clothes, the thick coat he was wearing padding him out and the hat somehow covered his messy hair and ears, the ties flapping loosely under his chin.

"Because it doesn't have colours?" Bucky asked, smiling as he lifted the deer up to the bench and started to skin it.

His son didn't reply, but instead studied the gun and Bucky kept half an eye on him because Jamie had only been three when he'd got them and his memory about guns wasn't what Stefan or Danny's was.

Stefan came stomping in afterwards, cheeks flushed and blond hair rumpled. "Get away from the gun," he huffed at Jamie. "He's been annoying all morning," he complained.

"Stefan lost at soccer," Jamie grinned. "We whipped him," he added with a cheering screech before he ran out of the barn.

"Please take me with you next time," Stefan groused. "They always gang up on me."

Glancing at his eldest, Bucky smiled. "They want to impress you," he said. "Come here." He peeled back the skin. "Remember what I told you?"

Stefan's hands followed down the spine and then studied the rib cage. Bucky stepped back and watched his son.

"Jamie sucks."

Ah. Holding out a hand, Bucky kept his eyes on Stefan. "Why's that?" he asked as his middle child ducked under and leaned into his hip, watching.

"He put snow down my back." Danny snuggled in. "He's done it all morning."

"You two did it to me all morning," Stefan corrected.

God give him strength. Lifting Danny onto his hip, he let Danny lean into him and hummed.

Later, when the deer was hanging in the shed and he'd topped up the fire, he sat in the mismatched chairs with his boys and glared at Jamie who had gulped down his hot chocolate and was glancing over at him hopefully.

"Make it last," he suggested.

Jamie huffed and sulked a little even as Danny scooted closer and slipped him a marshmallow.

They didn't get the best reception where they were, but Bucky often stocked up on some DVDs when he went into town and he sighed as Danny and Jamie curled into each other because they'd done it for years and he'd never been able to separate the two when it came to bed time. Stefan came to him and, curled in close and everything was warm and peaceful and protected.

And now, when he thought about it, he could see the dream further. See his own fury when he'd seen the battle of New York, though the dates always jumbled around. And then, somehow, Steve would have found him.

Standing in the entrance to the cabin, staring at the dead man he'd mourned and grieved. Remembering hours in a cell after being told that Captain America was dead, that no-one was coming for him. A ghost walking back into his life.

Reaching out to touch, reaching out to make sure that he was there.

And then perhaps, Steve coming to see them sometimes. Steve with Danny on his knee because they would have both been serious and so good and patient. Jamie running around like a mad thing but running to him because he was Daddy, and Stefan without worry, his brow smooth and unconcerned. Learning from him and leaning on him the way a son should lean on his father without always being worried that his father might break.

Steve being by the fire too, reading to Jamie and keeping him fascinated – those big blue grey eyes seeking out Bucky's to share a secret grin and the little boy leaning heavily into Steve. Danny in Bucky's arms with complete trust. Fast asleep and content. Adam laughing as they threw snow balls-

Not Adam. Stefan. Stefan.

It was always the moment that the dream would crumble to ashes in his hands. When he'd look up and think of Stefan as Adam and then look down and see a rotting corpse in his arms staring up at him with tear ridden, accusing eyes.

And he'd start to beg. Plead with anyone to just reverse time; to let him have the dream for a second longer. And, even as he would, he'd look up to see Jamie running away from him. Running to Stark and calling out for Daddy. Getting older and looking at him without any emotion. Being an adult and passing him by without even bothering to look.

And there'd be Adam, not Stefan, stopped dead with indecision. Glancing at Stark and then to him and seeing the corpse in his arms.

Then he'd walk away and Bucky would move to run after him but he'd be in that cell, staring at the paper that the Russians had left him with.

Captain America dead.

And he'd start to scream.

Only now there was a body in the bed with him, reaching out and holding him. Warm hands around him, holding him tight and letting comfort seep into his bones as a soft voice whispered in his ear and told him where he was and that he was safe. That Adam was safe. That Jamie was safe. That Steve himself was safe.

Danny, D4, he wasn't safe though. He was cold and rotting and had died at Bucky's hands and in a mass grave. His son had never been protected or given chocolate or rocked to sleep.

And Bucky would sob and scream into Steve. Shaking in the bed that they now shared and wishing to god that he had escaped. That he'd stormed that Hydra base on the day that his youngest had drawn breath. He's steal back his sons, hold them in his arms. Keep the entire world from them.

And now he needed to keep the world from Steve, keep him safe too.

Steve would rock him for hours sometimes, whispering words of comfort that he didn't deserve and could never earn back. A gentle kiss. A fierce promise.

"I killed him," he whispered. How many times did he whisper that to Steve, as if it was new information? But every time he looked at Jamie now, every time he felt his heart fill with awe and love for the boy, he felt the agony of the other boy all the more.

"I know," Steve would reply. "They made you," he replied fiercely. "We'll wipe them from the world."

It was a strange thing to make him reach up and grip the back of Steve's head in order to bring him closer. Lifting his head, he nipped at Steve's lips and pulled him down. The surprised noise that Steve made caused Bucky to smile.

"Promise," he hissed into Steve's lips. "Promise me that they'll always be safe. No matter what. Those boys, my boys. They'll always come first. Even if…no matter what they put in Jamie."

Steve pulled away and Bucky had a momentary pause because…what was he doing?

He didn't know what Steve was looking for, but in the end, Steve rolled away and stared up at the ceiling looking as if he was exhausted suddenly. "I can't make that promise," he said quietly. "You know I can't."

Bucky stared up. Seven months of this, seven months of having someone there for him, something that was his and precious and perfect and the relationship that he had spent so long trying to protect Steve from.

I don't want to regret he'd said.

"If I ask," Bucky said staring at the ceiling as well, to the sky beyond, the god that he was certain didn't exist. "If one day I ask you to do something, to protect them even if it means the end of us, would you?"

Steve was silent. Then: "How can you ask me this?" he asked, sounding wrecked. "Here?"

"I…" He did. He wanted Steve safe and happy, but…but he wanted the boys to be safe and happy more and he wasn't sure what kind of person that made him. He thought about Adam. How he would be protected no matter what because there was nothing hidden about the boy. And then Jamie.

Stark would protect him, but Stark couldn't protect him from the world that had made Jamie, not the way that Bucky could.

"I love you," he said, not looking. "But…I can't…if I needed something in order to keep the boys safe. If I asked, even knowing it would be the end of us, would you do it?"

Steve remained silent and then sat up, resting his head on his knees. The bare expanse of his back rose up like a silvered path in the moonlight and, under any other circumstances, Bucky would be reaching out a hand to smooth along it, to soothe the tension he could see.

"You've just had a nightmare," Steve said after a moment. "And are you asking?"

No. Bucky shook his head, knowing that Steve would hear, would see it out the corner of his eye.

Steve turned back to him. Studied him, then reached out a hand.

"No matter what they say," Steve said fiercely. "There's more to being a good father than raising them."

Not killing them was probably a good starting point. But Bucky said nothing as Steve lay back down, a slither of distance between them now and he wondered how long it would be before that gap got wider, became too far to span.

The man he had ben had loved Steve. In what way, he wasn't always sure; that jumbled together. The man he was now took comfort in Steve, loved him for how good he was, wanted Steve just to see if he could fuse them together, to inhale the goodness in the man, the purity of his intent. Loved him.

The man he had been would have raised his sons. The man he was now would protect them until the last breath that he drew.

And he would do anything to ensure that, to not be haunted by another pair of blue eyes staring at him in fading terror as the life drained away.

Even if it meant tearing apart the world. Even if it shattered Steve.

And that, he was certain, would never, ever change.


	19. Injuries

Jamie wasn't impressed.

His earliest memories were of no-one being ill or hurt for long. People that were bad at what they did died or healed quickly.

It didn't happen anymore.

Clint's arm had taken ages to heal. And Dad had said that was quick at the time. Jamie saw the x-rays which were mega cool because they showed your body without the skin and blood, and the arm was snapped. And Clint had been sullen and irritable and, Jamie hadn't known at the time, but he'd been sad because he couldn't go home to his wife and kids.

Steve healed quick. Jamie had once seen him on the cameras and it looked like someone had put a grater to the side of him. Three days later, he'd been fine and that was the quickest that Jamie had ever seen anyone heal.

Natasha never got sick. She broke a toe when he was eight and no-one was allowed to speak about it. He'd stared at her feet and wondered if it had been hideously disfigured and maybe that was why they weren't allowed to speak about it. When he asked Clint, Clint howled with laughter and had assured him it was just because Natasha terrified all of them and that no-one could joke about it. Natasha, when he'd asked, had smiled and tapped his nose and then let him see the black and blue bruise and the lack of a nail and it had been so mega cool that he wished he'd taken pictures.

Bruce was never hurt. Never sick. But there were days when he spent his time in his room or suddenly vanished and Fury would come over and start talking about psychologists and long term stress as well as anger management.

Jamie hated the therapists and the psychologists and all the people that asked him people about what he thought or felt or wanted.

He didn't need them and he didn't like what they did.

Uncle Rhodey was hurt sometimes, but he was a normal soldier sometimes (even though he had some fancy stripes and medals) and Dad said that it happened sometimes. When he skyped in, there was usually a bandage or something strapped up in a way that Uncle Rhodey always tried to explain was just to be careful and to keep him in prime condition (which Dad snorted about).

But then there was Dad.

Dad always made jokes about how old Steve and Bucky were. Always. It was the thing that they did because it made Steve smile even as he rolled his eyes and it made Bucky glare and mutter under his breath which were both good reactions in Jamie's opinion. But actually, it was Dad that had streaks of grey in his hair and lines around his eyes and mouth. It was Dad that would get stiff and once had to lie flat on the floor for a week because he threw his back out.

Dad was good and strong. In his workshop, he'd wear t-shirts and lift huge things and build robots that could protect them all. His eyesight was stronger than Jamie's; he could spot things in a circuit board that Jamie never could. And he blared out music in a way that would have made Chad Brunswick's older brother look impressed because Dad had the best sound system in the whole world.

And, the week after Jamie turned nine, he came home from a fight with cuts and bruises and with huge circles under his eyes.

He'd been gone for a few weeks and he'd come back in the middle of the night. Jamie knew the moment he was back. How, he didn't know, but he could feel that Dad was back.

He was getting into bed and Uncle Rhodey was helping him. Fussing and Dad had to be tired because he didn't say a word and just nodded, waving a hand at Uncle Rhodey and then wincing in pain.

"This bed is ridiculous," Uncle Rhodey huffed. "How many people can you fit in this thing?"

"In?" Dad asked as he collapsed back into the pillows. "Three? On? Well, I mean there was once seven but that was-" he broke off, his brown eyes spotting Jamie and he frowned.

Uncle Rhodey was silent for a moment and then turned and his expression wasn't that welcoming either. "Go to bed, Jamie," he said after a moment, his voice sounding exasperated.

He leaned against the door frame, thinking about it because he didn't want to leave, but he wasn't sure why. Apart from the fact he hadn't seen Dad for two weeks, but even he knew that it probably wasn't the best time.

He bit at his thumb nail, not really sure what to do.

"Come here," Dad said suddenly and Uncle Rhodey turned around to Dad. Jamie edged forward, knowing that Uncle Rhodey was saying something quietly and not too sure that he wasn't about to be waved away.

Then Uncle Rhodey stood and reached out a hand for him. A little relieved, Jamie took it and then was guided onto the bed and Dad's hand reached out. "Hey, Jim-Jam," Dad said and up close he was bruised and cut. The right eye was swollen and there were bruises down that side of his face, down his neck. The hand that was in his was splinted and the bandage was rough as Dad lifted his hand to cup Jamie's face. "What you doing up?" Dad asked quietly as Uncle Rhodey moved around the room to do stuff.

"You're back," Jamie said frankly. "Did you beat the bad guy?"

Dad nodded. "Told you," he said. "No-one touches a hair on your head."

No-one had. Confused, Jamie wrinkled his nose. "I banged my head though."

Dad smiled a little and his hand reached up to Jamie's hairline. "Your bruise has gone," he said. His hands then started to stroke through Jamie's hair and put pressure on the back to ease Jamie down to lie next to him. "Go to sleep," he urged.

"Still room for you, light of my life," Dad said to Uncle Rhodey.

"You need to take those pills in five hours," Uncle Rhodey said. "I set the alarm. I'll come in-"

Jamie could feel Dad nod and snuggle Jamie a little closer. "Go to sleep," Dad ordered after a moment.

A hand ruffled Jamie's hair and he huffed in annoyance.

xxx

Despite the lack of 'serious' injury, it took Dad nearly a month to be back to normal. And a women turned up to talk about muscles and physio and things that were new because no-one else in the tower had that. Though Steve had a huge argument with Sam and Clint and suddenly they were occasionally seeing the woman too.

There were a few hushed conversations about doing the same with Natasha, but no-one seemed to have the guts.

"Why though?" Jamie asked Adam.

"They're normal," Adam said and the rolled his eyes and huffed. "I mean…they take longer to recover. They need some help sometimes."

"Will I?" Jamie asked, peering down at the woman. They were in the training room and they'd climbed the wall while the woman tried to not kill Dad and Clint for being annoying. If you asked Jamie, it was Sam she should be paying attention to. His snark was sneaky.

Adam was silent for a long time. "Maybe," he said after a while. "Depends if you start training properly again."

"I do gymnastics," Jamie huffed. "And tennis and basketball and-"

Adam yawned pointedly.

Annoyed, Jamie glared down at the woman and then at Dad. The exercises looked boring beyond belief which was probably why the group down there were giving her such problems.

"Is Dad old?" Jamie asked.

It made Adam think. "I…I think so," he said after a moment.

"A girl in my class had her Dad die," Jamie said after a while. "She had to leave school because they couldn't pay. He died because he got old."

"Tony won't die. He's too clever," Adam said frankly.

It was strange because there were times when Jamie was almost certain that he might know more than Adam. Adam who was privately tutored by some of the best minds, but who didn't really talk to other kids his age.

Jamie wasn't sure when Adam had started to be the naïve one.

"Are you gonna be an Avenger when you grow up?" he asked quietly.

Adam nodded, as if it was a done thing.

"I don't think I will be."

Adam nodded again. "No," he said. "Probably not." He turned suddenly. "You gonna be a gymnast?" he asked with a shit eating grin because he was also a dick sometimes.

Jamie kicked at him a little.

xxx

Thor never got hurt, but he did get sad. He'd been sad when he and Jane broke up and he got sad when he heard news that she was sick. And Dad helped him with the cure all of scotch.

"Not the best solution in the world," Sam said pointedly one evening.

"It works," Tony said. "And he barely feels it. It's just the drink of sharing sorrows."

"We do it at school with chocolate milkshakes," Jamie piped in and he got a ruffle of his hair from Dad as he walked by. Opposite him, Adam stared at him with some jealousy as he ate his toast.

"If you were doing it with milkshakes I wouldn't be complaining," Sam huffed. "Role model, remember."

Jamie had a slight suspicion that he was being used in this argument, but he wasn't entirely sure why he felt like that. Instead, he chased around his cheerios in the bowl and stared longingly at the milk because he wasn't allowed to just tip the bowl up and drink it.

"Jamie," Dad said, bending close. "What do you think of scotch?"

"It tastes gross," Jamie replied and then squinted up at Sam.

"See?"

"He knows what it tastes like?" Sam asked, folding his arms.

Dad was silent and then made an odd noise as he walked far away.

"And then we found this pin and put it in her chair," Jamie said, gleeful as he talked to Thor after school, his lollypop waving as he described it. Standing on the table in front of Thor was useful because it meant he was taller and Thor seemed genuinely pleased. "And she came in and yelled and yelled and we were all being really good and nodded because we wanted her to sit and-"

"Scotch?" Bucky's voice roared down from the elevator. "You've given a nine year old scotch?"

They both turned to look at the entrance way and Thor hummed. "Have you had scotch?"

Jamie nodded. "Dad let me sip everything," he explained. "They're all disgusting."

Thor looked thoughtful at that. "When-"

"He is not your fucking drinking pal," Bucky's voice continued. "He's a child. It's basic common sense-"

"You wanna get into what is common sense when it comes to kids?" Dad's voice suddenly roared back. "Please. Go there."

There was a very long silence and Jamie winced, not sure why he suddenly felt so sick. A little unsteady, he sat straight down.

A pair of big hands cupped at his face and tilted him up to look at Thor who suddenly looked very worried.

"That's like the fifth argument they've had this month," Clint muttered as he walked in. "Not sure what the fuck's crawled up Barnes' ass, but-" He broke off and came close. "You feeling all right, kid?"

"Sick," Jamie murmured, relieved when Clint's hands took over because Thor's hands were too warm.

"If I have to listen to one more fucking parenting idea from Barnes I will throw him out of the building and we can really have a go at playing divorced parents," Dad snarled as he came in. "Why is he suddenly so-" he trailed off. "Shit. How much did you-"

Jamie threw up.

xxx

He didn't like Bucky. He was Adam's Dad and he didn't like Jamie. And it made things confusing and complicated and Jamie didn't like that either.

And there were strange nights. Nights when he woke up not really remembering the dream, but feeling an ache in his arm. Nights when he was in a room and it made his head hurt because there were eyes staring at him. And, sometimes just having Bucky in the room was enough to make him feel uncomfortable and cold.

But Adam was important. Adam always healed quickly.

Or at least, he thought that until Adam broke his arm.

It had been stupid (according to Dad). Adam hadn't listened about how to use a pike and then his arm had been broken because he hadn't listened. He'd been in his bed, listening to music and trying to do his maths homework before Dad came in to try and help because Dad helping made his head spin and made him feel dumb. He'd already been dragged out from under the covers by Dad and Thor had snuck him some coffee earlier.

And then he'd known.

Leaping out of bed, the wireless headphones still on, he raced down to the training room. Dodged past Natasha who reached out for him and then skidded past Sam until he barrelled into Adam.

His brother was pale and biting his lip and turned into Jamie, wincing. There was an arm around Adam already and Jamie ignored it because Adam was hurt and he needed to be better. As he stopped, the headphones fell off.

"Ow," Adam whispered into Jamie, almost sounding like he was half laughing. "Fuck that hurts."

"You heal quick," Jamie reminded him. "You're not ordinary."

Adam laughed again and then nestled into Jamie and that was weird because he wasn't meant to give comfort. A little baffled, he looked up to Dad for help.

And looked into Bucky Barnes' eyes.

It made him jolt because he'd genuinely thought the person holding Adam was his Dad and they'd never been this close before. Unsure, he looked down at Adam and had the strangest feeling that he should pull Adam away.

"Medic's coming," Steve said. "Tony's on his way down too."

"You're not meant to get hurt," Jamie said angrily to Adam. "Dummy."

A hesitant finger stroked the back of his hand and Jamie flinched away, not too sure if it had been an accident or not, but wanting to be by his brother even if it meant putting up with other things.

"It looked cool as fuck," Adam said and then hissed as something jarred his hand.

"Watch kung-fu films then," Jamie suggested. "Dumbass."

"Seconding that," Dad said, there finally and kneeling close. He looked up at Bucky and then sighed. "Oh kid. That is gross," he added as he spotted the clean break and wow was Adam's wrist in a weird position.

Jamie reached out a finger to poke it and then Dad grabbed his finger and glared at him.

"Does it feel weird?" Jamie asked.

"Hurts," Adam said, his tone kinda suggesting that it was Jamie's fault.

"Yeah but…is that lump the bone?"

"Probably." Melissa, who Jamie thought probably lived at the tower permanently and was a doctor of something, came over and knelt by Adam. "This is a little ridiculous," she said, looking at them all. "I need some light to see."

"There's a torch in the back," Jamie offered, even as Dad reached for him again and pulled him back a little bit. Huffing, he bumped his head back on Dad's shoulder and glared up. "You suck," Jamie told him.

Dad said nothing and Jamie turned his attention back to Adam who was still in Bucky's lap.

"I need to reset the bone and we'll plaster it after an x-ray. Can you bring him down to the med bay?"

Bucky nodded and then stood, Adam in his arms, despite the fact that Adam was thirteen and getting tall. And then the group dispersed and it was Dad and Clint down in the training room.

Clint bent to pick up Jamie's headphones and then looked at Dad for a long moment and Jamie could almost feel Dad swallow.

xxx

"I don't like people being hurt," Jamie confessed that night as he finished getting ready for bed. Adam was down with Bucky and Steve after yet another argument between Bucky and Dad. It was just them two and Dad was laying on the sofa, fingers dancing over a screen.

Dad stared at him and then sat up. He stared at him for a long time before he picked up a cup of coffee and drank deeply. "Why not?" he asked after glancing at the screen.

"I don't like how it feels."

Dad blinked and seemed confused by that. Then he sat back into the chair and looked down at the screen again. "And how does it feel?"

"You're being weird."

Dad smiled. "Yeah. How did you know that Adam was hurt?"

"Because it hurt." Dad was being really stupid. "Can I have some hot chocolate?"

But Dad was staring at him, almost as if horrified. "It hurt you?" he asked as if he didn't believe it.

"Mmm," Jamie tried to think it through. "But not when I push it away."

Dad closed the screen and sat forward. He stared at Jamie again. "Come here," he said and Jamie obeyed, coming close until his bare feet were close to Dad's trainers.

"Does it always hurt you?" Dad asked carefully, a hand reaching to hold Jamie's.

Jamie shook his head. "Just people I like. And him."

They didn't need to talk about who 'him was.

"And you push what you don't like away?"

Jamie nodded.

"And what about when you feel sad?"

"Takes a while," Jamie said honestly. He wasn't too sure where this was going. Didn't most people do that?

But Dad looked as if it was something new they were talking about. He reached out and stroked Jamie's face, his expression thoughtful. "Do you know how I'm feeling now?"

"You're working out a puzzle," Jamie said easily. "There's a line," he added by reaching out to press his finger into the crease of the line between Dad's eyebrows. "It's your thinking line."

Dad smiled and then kissed between Jamie's eyes. "You have it too," he said when he pulled away.

That, Jamie liked.


	20. Reflections

It seemed, well…weird.

Once upon a time, his floor had been sleek and sophisticated. The kind of show-home that meant he could tumble into the massive bed he still had with anyone he damn well pleased. And the lack of home comforts that made it clear that it wasn't a long time place to stay. He'd never spent any real time on his floor, never had a reason to.

Now?

Jamie was sprawled on the couch, a novel in his hands that had practically been forced there to ensure that he did the reading for his class. In the background, music was on at a low volume and Jamie's socked foot was tapping to the beat.

On the glass table that Pepper had said was way too overpriced, there was a bottle of coke and a half eaten grilled cheese sandwich. Adam's sweater was draped over the other side of the cornered sofa while Jamie's shoes were haphazardly piled to the side of the sofa, the sunken seating area looking clustered. Beyond, the patio doors were wide open and an easy breeze was coming through. The counter was a battlezone because, even at the age of nine, Jamie hadn't grasped the idea that making a sandwich meant that he made a mess that he was meant to clean up.

The fridge, oh god, the poor fridge that had the basics in it for them to make snacks, had stuff on it. Jamie's clubs and the contact details for the gymnastics coach. A certificate made by Clint for Adam for taking him down properly. The circuit boards he'd worked on last night had been shoved to the side and Jamie really needed to understand how to keep circuitry properly.

This was now his normal life, Tony thought as he took a sip of coffee and studied his youngest son and then glanced at the calendar that Thor had brought back because it was Avengers themed and not approved by any of them but it had made the boys howl with laughter.

He walked down to the sofas and then glanced down at the book Jamie was reading. "Only page thirty-one?" Tony said. "What have you been doing?"

Jamie tilted his head back and geez was the kid getting older. The puppy fat was starting to drain away and Barnes' features were getting more and more distinct every day, which was a little strange.

"It's stupid," Jamie complained. "I don't care about what a horse thinks."

Sitting on the edge of the sofa, Tony cupped his coffee with his hands. "Isn't there a war in there somewhere?"

"It's not in the beginning," Jamie sighed and then twisted around to stare up at Tony with a forlorn expression. "Nancy in my class has a tutor."

Yeah, he knew this play. "A tutor or someone to do the work for her?"

"You say tomato," Jamie answered with a grin and then sat up properly, putting the book down, but miraculously keeping the page he'd been on marked. He leaned into Tony, forcing him to lift his arm and adjust the grip on his mug. "You know there's a film about this? And a play?"

Tony just put his free hand over his son's face and pushed him back a little. "Whatever," he said. "You could ask Steve about the war."

"He's not that old," Jamie replied, sounding a bit bored by the idea.

"He is."

"First world war," Jamie sighed. "Sucks."

Ah. "If you get to page 50 today, you can pick the food tonight."

Jamie looked unimpressed. "Fly the suit."

"You get an A on this and I'll let you fly a suit. In supremely controlled conditions."

As soon as he said it, he regretted it because the kid would do anything for a go in the suits. With a smug smile, Jamie settled down again, picking up the book.

There was no way the brat was getting a A.

Xxx

Adam came tumbling in about an hour later, breaking the companionable silence between them. Tony glanced up from the StarkPadd where he'd been working on the new Quinjet specs and watched his eldest fling himself onto the sofa next to Jamie. Jamie's sole reaction was to briefly move his feet out of the way and then place them on Adam's lap.

Kid was gonna be tall. Taller than Tony. Even at thirteen he was taller than most his age. There was less of Barnes in his face than Jamie; the mother, whoever she'd been, must have had stronger genes in her. But the kid was gonna be handsome, if he stopped hunching his shoulders and letting his shyness overwhelm him.

"Problem?" Tony asked, glancing down to save his work. "Did you pick up a pike again."

"Once," Adam snarled. "I did it once. Why does everyone remember that?" He glanced warily at Jamie and then blinked at the fact that Jamie was still reading. A suspicious glare started to develop as he continued to eye his brother.

"What did happen?"

"When can I go on a mission?"

Oh no. No, no. Not happening. Not touching that one. Not completely his call, but thankfully it was one of the very few things that he and Barnes agreed on.

"If he's going on a mission, I should get a suit," Jamie piped up, still reading.

"You barely remember how to punch," Adam snorted. "What would you do?"

"Fly a suit," Jamie said easily as he looked up, smiled and then continued to read. "I could rescue you when someone came at you with a-"

"If you say pike, I will end you," Adam snapped.

Jamie opened his mouth and Tony held up a hand to stop them. "Why are you doing a piss poor impression of Bruce when he's having a tantrum?"

The comparison wasn't taken well, but Adam sat back a little and glared at the ceiling. "I lose against all of them. I just want…" Adam trailed off and glared at the table, as if it was the table's fault.

"To fight in life and death situations with people that make Steve sweat?"

Adam continued to sulk and yeah, so that was probably not gonna go away any time soon because apparently, at the grand old age of thirteen, Adam should be included in everything.

"What are you doing?" Adam asked after a moment, glaring at Jamie.

"Getting to fly a suit," Jamie replied absently as he turned a page.

Adam's response was to huff and push off of the sofa.

"Be nice," Tony said as Adam's door slammed shut.

Jamie stared after his brother. "I thought I was being," he said, sounding baffled.

xxx

That night, Tony stood on the balcony with a cigar.

He never really smoked them now. It was on the list of things that Steve's pet physio whined about periodically and he couldn't be bothered with the battle. Still, exceptions had to be met sometimes.

"Why are we here?" Natasha asked sounding annoyed.

Tony turned and handed her a glass of champagne. "A toast."

She eyed him suspiciously and wow, maybe that was where Adam was getting that expression from. Still, she came up by his side and then held her hand out for the cigar.

"Really?"

She took a puff and he honestly couldn't tell if she did it to screw with him or because she wanted to. "What are we celebrating then?"

"You know what we were doing three years ago today?"

She smiled. The almost cat-like smirk that meant she was genuinely pleased. "You were trying to get me to look after your sons. Not sure how much has changed."

"Kinda struggling to remember a time before them. Like that time when you pretended to be my secretary-"

"That wasn't what I was doing." Natasha took a sip of the drink and cast her eyes over the city. "Do you regret it?"

"No." He didn't even need to think about the answer. "Do you?"

"They complicate us," she said after a long pause. "Do you ever wonder what we'd do if someone came for them properly? The lengths we'd go to if we truly needed to defend them?"

There was that. "No-one's that stupid."

"Let's hope so." She seemed to shrug off the mood like an expensive coat. "They'll make you go grey quicker."

Tony eyed her and then smiled back, amused. "How would you know when people go grey? You change your hair more often than I change suits."

Natasha took a long sip. "No-one changes anything more than you change the suits." Then she leaned in gently and kissed his cheek, to his shock. "You're doing good," she said as she pulled away and handed him the glass. "Better than any of us expected."

"Well, when the bar's low-"

"I'm not helping you fish for compliments," Natasha dismissed as she stepped back. Then paused. "Why is three years important?"

"I got one of them to survive to being a teenager?" Tony shrugged it away. "Or I'm bracing myself for when Jamie gets there. Rhodey reckons karma is gonna be at work so…" he rolled his eyes.

"Goodnight, Tony," she said as she walked back into the main room behind.

Twirling her glass in his hand, Tony drained his glass. He couldn't see it, but far away in the distance, was the old Stark mansion, sold off finally despite the wreckage from the Sleeper robot his father has stashed in the basement.

He'd been at boarding school at Jamie's age. A year away from MIT at Adam's age. He'd been the object of three kidnapping attempts and one successful one by the age of thirteen.

No-one on the planet was gonna be that stupid, he decided after a moment. Adam and Jamie were theirs, the Avenger's. They'd got their name for a reason. They'd saved the planet, saved lives, gone toe to toe with some considered to be gods, taken down an organisation that was almost one hundred years old.

"Try it," he said into the night before he stubbed out the cigar, suddenly losing interest. He stared out for a second longer, as if he could see the threats that were lurking in the shadows around them.

Thing was, he couldn't see a damned thing.


End file.
